tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364787112024-03-06T04:29:25.139+02:00Lights Along the WayWriting Practice from Jewish SourcesMichal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-66480887892125594702014-05-21T09:00:00.000+03:002014-05-21T08:37:00.870+03:00Sifirat HaOmer WEEK 7 ― MALCHUT ― SOVEREIGNTY, LEADERSHIPבס"ד<br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: larger; font-weight: bold;">
WEEK 7 ― MALCHUT ― SOVEREIGNTY, LEADERSHIP</div>
<div style="font-size: larger; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
During the seventh and final week of counting the Omer, we examine
and refine the attribute of Malchut ― nobility, sovereignty and
leadership.<br />
<br />
Sovereignty is a state of <b>being</b> rather than an activity.
Nobility is a passive expression of human dignity that has nothing of
its own except that which it receives from the other six emotions.<br />
True
leadership is the art of selflessness; it is only a reflection of a
Higher will. On the other hand, Malchut manifests and actualizes the
character and majesty of the human spirit. It is the very fiber of what
makes us human.<br />
<br />
Malchut is a sense of belonging. Knowing that you matter and that you
make a difference.<br />
<br />
That you have the ability to be a proficient leader
in your own right. It gives you independence and confidence. A feeling
of certainty and authority. When a mother lovingly cradles her child in
her arms and the child's eyes meet the mother's affectionate eyes, the
child receives the message: "I am wanted and needed in this world. I
have a comfortable place where I will always be loved. I have nothing to
fear. I feel like royalty in my heart." This is Malchut, kingship.Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-23945674602831832812013-04-08T12:58:00.000+03:002013-04-08T12:58:32.426+03:00Typos? Not.When I type I make a lot of mistakes.<br />
I struggle to type without errors.<br />
Word processing is the best thing that ever happened to my typing.<br />
Technology has finally caught up with my level of inaccuracy and my skill as a typist.<br />
(I made ten! errors in the last paragraph.)<br />
<br />
My typo of the word "praying" comes out " prying".<br />
<br />
I
sometimes feel it is a good mistake. Praying is prying myself loose
from the everyday world and prying my self out of my thoughts and
focusing them on Eternity and Infinity, on reality.<br />
<br />
How many of you go through the day thinking that all of this is just an illusion?<br />
This
world is not reality, as much as it presses in on me, as much as I feel that I
am dependent on the next breath of air, of my rib cage expanding again,
and the food and the space I live in, the need to create order. All of it
is just a lie and a test to see if I can see, feel and experience what
is beyond this world to the reality of forever. Can I pry myself out of this space and be with Hashem?<br />
<br />
Write about mistakes that turned out okay in the end.<br />
<br />
Write about prying something loose. <br />
<br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-15205336311042806342013-03-27T09:00:00.000+02:002013-04-04T14:48:44.427+03:00TransformedBS"D<br />
<br />
Memory is selective.<br />
<br />
Women pretty much forget what they went through in labor. In spite of being intense, and sometimes painful, they usually look forward to having another child.<br />
<br />
People that were obsessed with getting their homes free of chametz and perfectly clean and orderly seem to forget all about it once the holiday actually starts. The whole family descends on them; the grandchildren run around playing, leaving toys and clothes and books in their wake; furniture is moved around to accommodate diners and conversations; towels and bedding are out, in disarray in every room of the house, including the living room and the housewife that would have shouted about such behavior 48 hours ago, is getting a kind of pure pleasure from this chaos, a kind of satisfaction that is only felt at this time of year, at Passover.<br />
<br />
Passover is a holiday of transformation.<br />
<br />
Write about any or all of the following words:<br />
<br />
Transformation<br />
<br />
Metamorphosis<br />
<br />
Changes<br />
<br />
Rebirth<br />
<br />
<br />
Chag Semach!Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-30704571316652104442013-03-24T06:00:00.000+02:002013-03-24T06:00:00.955+02:00Passover: what is different this time?BS"D<br />
<br />
In the Seder one of the major pieces is the Ma Ishtana מה ישתנה What is different about this night?<br />
<br />
Use this as a timed writing piece: Start every line with What is different....<br />
Write for 5 minutes.Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-15188999767866933172013-03-22T12:03:00.003+02:002013-03-22T12:03:43.781+02:00Insanity! Clean for PassoverBS"D<br />
<br />
<br />
In a way that is short and user friendly, Nicole explains how to clean for Passover without going crazy.<br />
<br />
Nicole Bem is a talented writer I met in a class given by Gila Green in Ra'anana, Israel.<br />
Here's the link: <a href="http://www.aish.com/f/hotm/Spiritual-Scrubbing.html" target="_blank">Spiritual Scrubbing</a><br />
She also has a book out: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/LET-MY-RV-GO-Novel/dp/1937887081/friendsofaishat" target="_blank">LET MY RV GO!</a><br />
<br />
Chag Semach!Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-50149905878307878452013-03-22T11:29:00.000+02:002013-03-22T11:48:57.265+02:00SeparationBS"D<br />
<br />
This time of year we all spend a lot of time separating:<br />
<br />
Is this chometz? Can I sell it?<br />
Does this still fit? Should I give it away?<br />
Do I want this set of glasses?<br />
Should I repair this pair of shoes or get new ones?<br />
Why have I been holding on to this?!<br />
Is there is something under this-what could be under this? Who put this here!?<br />
I forgot I even had this.<br />
I can't get rid of this.<br />
<br />
As you sift through your life, your belongings and memories and junk, what comes up?<br />
Write about sifting and separating.<br />
<br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-80055138686398907262013-03-22T11:19:00.001+02:002013-03-22T11:48:28.849+02:00Passing over PassoverBS"D<br />
<br />
I know: who has time to write at this time of the year?!<br />
<br />
Just writers! I can't seem to stay away from my computer. Call it procrastination. Call it an obsession.<br />
I only know that as my trash fills up, as my dust pan fills up, as I empty yet another vacuum cleaner bag, I am filled with words. <br />
Mostly I feel gratitude ( yes! really!) to be a part of this season. It's so easy to complain about the long hard hours of work leading up to the Seder and a full week long holiday. <br />
<br />
What are you grateful for in the pre Passover season?<br />
<br />
This can be just one word!<br />
<br />
Chag Semach!Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-79125880132522818202012-12-19T16:23:00.002+02:002012-12-19T16:25:44.354+02:00Trying: On Writing and Child RearingBS"D<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hear the rumble of a drill upstairs.
I wonder what my neighbours are doing up there. I feel the hardness
of the seat. The chair is not good for sitting long, but sit long I
do in it. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The air is cold around my legs, and I want to dress more
warmly but dressing more warmly means that I have to wash my hands
afterwards and then my hands will be cold, colder than they are
already. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have a burning, cold burning like menthol on my face on
the sides and the cheeks. I wonder if I'm allergic to something or
if this an emotion. I know that I am afraid to write and do the
projects I have set out for myself. I have a terror of being exposed
but I think that this is what I was meant to do with my time right
now. I very much want to start to teach writing but I'm afraid and
sure that no one will want to take a class from me since I want to be
paid and since I've never published a thing. I can only try.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can only try.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just thought again about the girl
that wanted to know how do raise a girl like my daughter. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can't do anything about anything in
the world except want it and fear G/d.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So I feared G/d, probably not enough,
but enough. Enough that what I wanted was not to disappoint Him by doing
things with/to my daughter that she couldn't have a relationship with
Him. I want my children, all of them, to be with G/d. To love Him and
fear Him and to want Him, to want to walk with Him more than anything else that they could have in the world.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What can I say? I wanted it and G/d
said "Yes, you can have these kinds of things, you can have these
kinds of children."</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Children don't belong to us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
They are given to us to work on
ourselves and to guide them to enter a relationship with G/d. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's all.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">T</span>his<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is cross posted at my other blog <span style="font-size: xx-small;">"The Flashli<span style="font-size: xx-small;">ght".</span></span></span></i></span></span> </div>
Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-70762997464744613902012-11-09T02:06:00.001+02:002012-11-09T02:06:56.876+02:00The Double Image<a href="http://www.aish.com/tp/i/m/48971631.html">The Double Image</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-89571528435923680172012-09-11T13:28:00.001+03:002012-09-11T13:28:54.065+03:00Using Elul Effectivelyבס"ד<br />
<br />
I've been reading and listening to lectures to prepare some writing exercises for Elul, but it really a tall order! I'm going to give some quotes from some of the articles I've read. You can use these to help you get focused in your writing on the z'man we've started: Days of Repentance and Tshuva.<br />
<br />
This is an outtake from <a href="http://www.aish.com/tp/i/m/48938577.html" target="_blank">an article by Rav Nosson Weisz of Aish HaTorah on Parshat Shoftim:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
At the very beginning of the Days of Awe we are summoned to take
ourselves in hand and appoint internal judges and officers over our
characters and behavior and prepare ourselves to face judgment. We are
urged to do this in order to avoid having to face God's judgment. By
weighing and judging our characters and actions on our own, repenting
any wrongdoing and instituting the changes that are needed to correct
our faults we can avoid the harsh scrutiny of the heavenly Court. God
always prefers to leave matters to human initiative and only people who
fail to judge themselves are submitted to the jurisdiction of the Divine
Court.<br />
<br />
<center>
* * *</center>
<br />
<big><b>TESHUVA ON DEMAND</b></big><br />
But coming to grips with the "days of <i>teshuva</i>" can be
problematic. It is one thing to command people to execute actions on
demand, but it is quite another matter to ask people to experience
feelings on demand. God designed us with the requisite circuitry to be
able to direct ourselves to perform actions that are at variance with
our feelings. Such self-control has its limits but the ability to
discipline ourselves regardless of how we feel is definitely part of the
human repertoire. But God did not supply us with the requisite switch
to turn our feelings off or on. To experience a feeling on demand is
difficult indeed.<br />
Maimonides devotes the entire first chapter of his Hilchot Deot, the
Laws of Character Development to the topic of changing one's character
and developing the ability to experience certain feelings; the basic
strategy presented there is based on behavior control. Through the
execution of a controlled course of behavior that goes against the grain
it is possible to affect character change over the course of time. For
example, a tendency to stinginess can be overcome by deliberately
behaving in the manner of a spendthrift over a period of time.<br />
The point is clear: human beings simply do not have the spiritual
equipment to effect immediate changes in their attitudes, feelings or
characters. Understanding that you are on the wrong track does not in
itself suffice to put you back on the right one. Maimonedes knew this a
thousand years ago;<b> psychiatrists have finally arrived at the same
conclusion only recently. <i>Knowledge</i> does not alter character, feelings
do.</b> This phenomenon of human nature creates a very special problem when
it comes to repentance.<br />
<br />
<center>
* * *</center>
<br />
<big><b>A MATTER OF THE HEART</b></big><br />
For repentance must come from the heart. True repentance requires the
recognition and acknowledgement of character faults and the resolution
to correct them in one's heart. As Maimonides explains:<br />
<blockquote>
What is <i>teshuva</i>? The sinner has to stop doing the sin, he must put it out of his mind and resolve in his <b>heart </b>never
to go back to doing it again... to the extent that The One who Knows
the Secrets of the Heart (i.e. God) can testify that he will never
return to this sin again. (Maimonides, Laws of Repentance 2:2)</blockquote>
As such, repentance does not seem to be a phenomenon that can be
squeezed into a particular time slot or season. It is a process that
requires constant focus and attention; it can only be attained
gradually, over a long period of time, whose duration is bound to vary
from person to person.<br />
How can God order all Jews to begin to repent on command at the start
of the month of Elul and complete the process by Yom Kippur in light of
the fact that He failed to supply us with the necessary equipment to
carry out instantaneous character changes?<br />
To acquire the tools we shall require to approach this problem, let
us begin by examining the historic origins of these 40 days of <i>teshuva</i> that begin with Rosh Chodesh Elul and end with Yom Kippur.<br />
<br />
<center>
* * *</center>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
You can read the rest<a href="http://www.aish.com/tp/i/m/48938577.html" target="_blank"> here</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-73571174027878333242012-09-11T13:08:00.000+03:002013-03-22T11:56:30.872+02:00Show, Don't Tell on Rosh HaShannahבס"ד<br />
<br />
We spend a lot of time the new year in synagogue.<br />
We crown Hashem King.<br />
We ask him to remember our covenant with our fathers Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov.<br />
We blow a shofar.<br />
<br />
At home, we eat a festive meal with symbols of the kinds of things we want in the new year.<br />
<br />
The idea of eating something sweet will bring sweet things into our lives is a bit strange, though. What does it mean? Where did our rabbis learn this idea?<br />
<br />
Yaacov and Rachel communitcated through symbols or signs. We learn this in the midrash. They suspected, rightly! that Rachel's father Lavan, would switch the sisters just before the wedding ceremony so Yaacov gave Rachel signs so he would know that he was marrying her. But Rachel taught her sister Leah the signs before she married Yaacov, so Leah wouldn't be embarrassed and humiliated in front of everyone.<br />
<br />
Have you ever seen a couple that just met?<br />
They can't stop talking to each other. They are on the phone all the time, talk non-stop when they are together, ignore all their family and friends.<br />
<br />
Five year, ten years, twenty years later, the same couple don't talk like that. Often they can know exactly what is going on with the other through a glance, or a tip of the head, or slight movement of the hand. At some point, a relationship moves beyond words to a higher level of communication. This is the kind of relationship that Yaacov and Rachel had.<br />
<br />
And this is the kind of relationship that we are showing Hashem that we have with Him when we use symbols on Rosh HaShannah: we're so close to You, we don't have to use words. We can have these foods on the table and we know that You will understand the meaning behind them, because we have this special relationship with You.<br />
<br />
On Rosh HaShannah we want to renew our special relationship with the Creator of the Universe and we want Him to see us a close and unique. We want Him to look at us as individuals. So we use signs and symbols that only an initmate will know.<br />
<br />
Show, don't tell!<br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-1016398125001323952012-08-20T11:30:00.001+03:002012-08-20T11:30:11.495+03:00Recommended writing teacher and new course!בס"ד<br />
I've worked with Shifrah Devorah Witt and she's wonderful.<br />
<br />
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of us have heard that the king is in the field in the month of Ellul
and that this is the perfect time to approach him. But who you are when
you approach the king is entirely up to you. In this three week course
we will focus on using writing as a tool for personal growth. Each week
you’ll be given a topic of the week that will gently guide you into a
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G-d willing, have written three separate pieces and have a vision for
what is next to come for your writing and your life.</span><b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 31px;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 21pt; line-height: 36px;"></span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f1f1f; line-height: 37px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Journaling exercises are also available upon request.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-73512339936782803602012-08-03T11:18:00.002+03:002012-08-03T11:18:26.731+03:00I haven't forgotten about the blog butI've been under the weather with a summer cold/sinus infection and we have a new granddaugher.<br />
I'll be posting again very soon, bil nader.<br />
<br />
Shabbat ShalomMichal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-38735332981171001142012-07-25T12:24:00.001+03:002012-07-25T12:24:37.760+03:00Towards Elul: Way #1 Be Aware of Every Moment<div dir="ltr">
Reprinted from <a href="http://www.aish.com/sp/48w/48971986.html">http://www.aish.com/sp/48w/48971986.html</a><br />
<div class="gmail_quote">
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://madmimi.com/images/10727167113/beacon.gif" /></div>
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Way #1 Be Aware of Every Moment</div>
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by Rabbi Noah Weinberg</div>
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To achieve significant results in life, the effort must be constant. Don't waste a minute.</div>
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Imagine you're stuck in traffic, and another driver is taking dollar bills and throwing them out the window. You can't believe it. The guy is whacko. Every five minutes, another dollar flies out the window!</div>
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You probably never saw this. But you have seen someone throwing five minutes out the window.</div>
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Maybe you even did it yourself. The bus takes off and you're really enjoying the scenery: "Oh, a hill... look at that store... and there's a park!"</div>
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It's not so bad for the first few minutes. But then the cash register starts ringing up more wasted time. Ding! Ding!</div>
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To become a great human being requires applying your mind constantly, until it pervades every fiber of your being.</div>
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It all begins with a decision, a commitment. Try saying aloud: "Life is an opportunity. I want to use my mind, and be constantly moving toward my goal."</div>
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You may notice some resistance as a little voice protests inside: "No way! All work and no play will make Jack a dull boy. C'mon, let's space out and watch TV!"</div>
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Does this mean being an obsessive workaholic? Of course not – you still need to sleep!</div>
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Let's understand. "Constant striving" means that when you sleep in order to be more productive, then the sleep becomes part of your overall goal. It's the same with eating and exercise.</div>
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So what about relaxing?</div>
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Of course it's okay to relax. But relaxing means "changing gears." Your relaxation should be purposeful and directed. Think of something else that's not as exerting, but is still meaningful. For example, shift your focus to nature, music or art. Sometimes, even a simple change of scenery, a cold drink, or a breathe of fresh air is enough to recharge your batteries.</div>
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But don't space out.</div>
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We do this, because it is painful to be constantly aware, to be constantly "on."</div>
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To break through that pain, focus instead on the pay-off. When you are constantly aware, every experience becomes a lesson in life. For example, if you are in a dentist's office, you could use that time to reach any number of crucial insights:</div>
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<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;"><i>I'm lucky to have teeth. A toothless life would be much less pleasurable.</i></li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;"><i>If there is such a thing as dental hygiene, there must be a concept of spiritual hygiene, too. I wonder what it is.</i></li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;"><i>Without the pain of the drill, my teeth would fall out. Perhaps some other difficulties in life also help me accomplish good things.</i></li>
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Whatever you are doing at any given moment – watching the news, working on a business deal, talking to a friend, reading this article – give it your full attention. Decide that you are willing to take the pain of thinking, of being aware, all day long.</div>
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"CONTINUOUS:" WITHOUT INTERRUPTION</div>
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Whenever you pursue a specific goal, it should be without interruption. It's actually better to study for one hour straight, than for two hours with interruptions. Interruptions break our train of thought and limit our ability to retain information. They take the power out of learning.</div>
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Set aside a certain time when you block everything else out, where you will not budge from the activity you're focusing on. Don't sit down and then get up to open the window. Then get up to fetch a Coke. And get up again to close the window. And get up to turn on the radio.</div>
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Make up your mind: "I am going to do 'X' for one hour straight. No bouncing up and down!" For an entire 15 minutes, don't stop. Not to change your seat, not to get a drink, not for anything that isn't life-threatening!</div>
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You can practice this while riding on the bus, or waiting at the dentist's office. Set yourself a goal of 15 minutes to focus exclusively on one subject. It may be a problem you're having at work, a personal goal, or an issue in a relationship. For example, you might say to yourself, "The next 15 minutes I am going to devote to thinking about my family, how I can help them, why I love them, my pleasure in them."</div>
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Or try devoting 15 minutes a day to be aware of every aspect of life around you – from the blood coursing through your veins to keep every cell alive, to the ant crawling across the ground under your feet. For that 15 minutes, you are totally attuned to the miracle of being alive.</div>
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Then, at the end of these 15 minutes, appreciate how the time was well spent. Time that otherwise would have been wasted...</div>
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Little by little, increase your time. First 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, then one hour, then two hours. Once you hit four hours, you're sailing.</div>
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The Vilna Gaon, the great 18th century Jewish scholar, said that the first three hours and 59 minutes is stoking the furnace. By the fourth hour, the pot is boiling.</div>
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And don't stop. Because if you take the pot off the fire – even for a few minutes – you have to reboil it all over again.</div>
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"CONSISTENT:" ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE</div>
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To really get into gear, you need to find your rhythm.</div>
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The human body loves patterns. Even the most daunting tasks become fluid when set into a schedule. This means doing the activity in the same place, at the same time, and in the same way (as much as reasonably possible).</div>
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That's why Judaism has certain pre-set activities every day. When waking up, for example, we say: "Thank God I'm alive." It's a moment of conscious appreciation for getting another chance, another day. This awareness gets us up on the right side of the bed, starting our day on a high note.</div>
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When it comes to any goal, make a certain time of the day "holy." For however much or little time, make a commitment and be consistent every day. There is power in that commitment. You know you are going to change. Your life will be different.</div>
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Try it. Commit yourself 365 days a year, for the rest of your life: When you wake up in the morning, appreciate being alive.</div>
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"CYCLICAL:" REPETITION AND REVIEW</div>
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Life is not one-dimensional. It must be studied from every side and turned upside down.</div>
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Study the same subject for a long period of time. Don't bounce around superficially from one topic to the next. Choose a topic you love and become an expert in at least one aspect of life. Become engrossed.</div>
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Whatever subject you choose, there is always more to learn. Even as you move to other areas of knowledge, be alert to pick up information pertinent to previous topics. This allows for cross-referencing, and ultimately, a deeper understanding.</div>
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Whatever you learn, make sure you don't forget. How many times has an insight struck you with astonishing clarity – and then slipped out of your mind the next day? The insight is fleeting if you don't capture it in some way. It has to sink into your bones and permeate your mind.</div>
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This means constant review of one's learning in some form or another.</div>
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Verbal repetition is powerful. It clarifies an idea and brings it into reality. That's why we repeat the Shema twice a day, and why we review the Torah year after year. The Sages of the Talmud would repeat any new insight 40 times – and repeat an especially vital idea 101 times.</div>
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It's kind of like "Remember the Alamo!" Of course, you may forget the Alamo, but you can remember this article in a catch-phrase like "Make Every Second Count" or "Live to the Max." Whatever moves you and gets you energized, repeat it again, again and again. Make it your refrain, your background music. When you wear out one phrase, get yourself another. Whatever works has power. * * *</div>
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"COMPREHENSIVE:" BE A STUDENT OF LIFE</div>
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Imagine someone asking you, "What do you do?" You answer, "I'm a lawyer," or "I'm an engineer," or "I'm an accountant."</div>
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Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!</div>
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Suppose you see someone going to sleep, and you say to him, "What do you do?"</div>
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He says, "I'm a sleeper."</div>
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"You're a sleeper? How do you make a living doing that? Who pays you to sleep?!"</div>
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That's my point exactly. When you add up the hours over a lifetime, you spend more time sleeping than being a lawyer.</div>
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The essential you is not the lawyer. It is the thinker, the seeker, the living, breathing human being who loves, who is continually growing, who desires greatness, who hungers to know more. Identify with this. It is who you really are.</div>
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Ask a woman with four children: "Who are you?" She answers: "A mother." But that's only one aspect of who she is (albeit an important one). She's also a friend, a community volunteer, an educator, a chef, a nurse, a child psychologist, a thinker, an information gatherer, a pursuer of truth, and more.</div>
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Unfortunately, we develop this identity problem early in life. Every child is asked: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" This question has subtle implications that can damage a developing personality. The child is thinking: "What's wrong with being 'me?' Is 'me' so terrible that I have to 'become' something different when I grow up?"</div>
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The Sages say: "Make the study of life your main occupation, and your profession secondary." The question is not "what are you doing for a living," but rather "what do you do for life?" If you see yourself as a "thinker," then thinking becomes a priority. So update your self-definition. Learn your whole reason for living and live it fully.</div>
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IS LIFE GOOD?</div>
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The bottom line is you have to decide: Is life good or not?</div>
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This comes down to a more basic question: Does life have purpose? If it doesn't, then there's no reason not to waste time, because nothing really matters anyway. But if you believe there is a purpose to life, why would you want to waste any bit of it? You'll want to understand every aspect of life, to do the most with the limited time you have.</div>
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Jewish consciousness says that the worst crime is murder.</div>
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Human beings were created for pleasure. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. In Hebrew, <i>Eden</i> means "pleasure."</div>
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When you commit yourself to what a human being was destined for – a life of pleasure – you will go out searching for the highest pleasures. Along the way, you'll make distinctions between pleasure and comfort, between necessary pain and needless suffering. And through the process, you'll discover the true meaning of life.</div>
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The Torah says: "Abraham was old and he came with his days." Many people can become old without their days, because they may only experience growth over a year. But Abraham and Sarah had daily growth spurts. They got as much out of living as possible.</div>
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Make the commitment to discover life's deeper pleasures. It could be the difference between a useful life and a wasted one.</div>
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<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: larger; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.3em; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-top: 3px; padding: 0; vertical-align: top;">
10 TOOLS FOR CONSTANT AWARENESS</div>
<ul style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;">
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Plan out what you want to accomplish. If you know what you're after, you'll pursue it with more vitality.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Plan in the evening how you'll get up in the morning. Don't let the snooze button control your life.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">To start off on the right foot, get up 10 minutes early and say the Shema.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Review your day. See what the obstacles were. Strategize how to avoid them in the future. Review what you learned in the past 24 hours.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Catch yourself day dreaming at least once a day and examine: "What am I doing right now, and how could I use this moment more effectively?"</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Become a student of life. Study wherever you are. Have books, thoughts, etc. ready to keep your mind growing. (No staring out the window like a zombie.)</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Memorize pieces of wisdom. It will give you something to learn as you walk down the street or wait in line at the supermarket.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Pick appealing catch-phrases, to inspire yourself on the spot, and to wake yourself up when you feel like drifting off.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Frequently ponder the question: What is the purpose of life? What am I doing on this planet?</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Plan ahead now. What do you want to study? What do you need to realize your ambitions? How do you want to grow?</li>
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Everyone says that "time is money." But which is more important: five minutes or a dollar? Time is the greatest opportunity of your life. Don't waste a minute of it.</div>
<ul style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0;">
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">The worst murder is premeditated.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">The worst premeditated is of family.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Even worse is murder of self – i.e. suicide.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Spiritual suicide is worse than physical suicide.</li>
<li style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: square; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 0;">Killing time is spiritual suicide.</li>
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<b style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Author Biography:</b><br /> <br /> Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of blessed memory, was the dean and founder of Aish HaTorah International. For 50 years, his visionary educational programs brought hundreds of thousands of Jews closer to their heritage.</div>
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<br /></div>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-13158494484102543952012-07-24T05:00:00.000+03:002013-05-28T23:06:33.151+03:00Tehillim Day 5בס"ד<br />
<br />
Tehillim 29 <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">תהלים כט</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>Hashem's voice is upon the waters.</b></i><br />
<i><b>Almight of glory thunders, </b></i><br />
<i><b>Hashem is upon [the] many waters.</b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>The voice of Hashem is in power, </b></i><br />
<i><b>the voice of Hashem is in beauty. </b></i></blockquote>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JnskotfkxkhhUOfgfVWgjqDtBCGU53CY_XyTFECUO61HIcnNwYGvaaGTXOgOdpy6RjDF0D8iPZv6mcbIHX02fZjE0FasfQn73HZ10QKvL8aK_pr2AeXyBYgD0gdwIuxn98BwbA/s1600/waterfall+galil+searchresult_watermark.php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JnskotfkxkhhUOfgfVWgjqDtBCGU53CY_XyTFECUO61HIcnNwYGvaaGTXOgOdpy6RjDF0D8iPZv6mcbIHX02fZjE0FasfQn73HZ10QKvL8aK_pr2AeXyBYgD0gdwIuxn98BwbA/s640/waterfall+galil+searchresult_watermark.php.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.israelimages.com/see_image_details.php?description=Tachana-Falls-on-the-Ayun-Stream&idi=20925">http://www.israelimages.com/see_image_details.php?description=Tachana-Falls-on-the-Ayun-Stream&idi=20925</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-67564418714403937132012-07-23T05:00:00.000+03:002012-07-23T05:00:01.437+03:00Tehillim Day 4בס"ד<br />
<br />
Tehillim 23 <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">תהלים כג</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<i><b>[May] only good and kindness pursue me</b></i><br />
<i><b>all the days of my life, </b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>and I shall dwell in the House of Hashem</b></i><br />
<i><b>for long days.</b></i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ4n9Yk-0-VnBYpfDbsqmNWLar0GHZz3-BarWKbdGssWdPoiv1BkfszMsCKFoENOhm03zYoaRm5RP0xxmgrJY9z8hCtuIFq4phECiGiv9kxm7pBbrJQF_Ag4izGcu-_RgQK_tww/s1600/dawn+kotel+searchresult_watermark.php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ4n9Yk-0-VnBYpfDbsqmNWLar0GHZz3-BarWKbdGssWdPoiv1BkfszMsCKFoENOhm03zYoaRm5RP0xxmgrJY9z8hCtuIFq4phECiGiv9kxm7pBbrJQF_Ag4izGcu-_RgQK_tww/s640/dawn+kotel+searchresult_watermark.php.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.israelimages.com/see_image_details.php?description=sunrise-over-the-western-wall&idi=7825">http://www.israelimages.com/see_image_details.php?description=sunrise-over-the-western-wall&idi=7825</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-53029839648169206812012-07-22T06:00:00.000+03:002012-07-22T06:00:01.254+03:00Tehillim Day 3בס"ד<br />
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Tehillim 19 <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">תהלים יט</span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The skies recount the glory of the Almighty<br />
and His handiwork is related by the firmament.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8eWGX1QEIEevbO5OIC2WGIeG6OFHZFaxfYh1FxmL_2XhbHRLAazko4R8PhJRBQB2a3OxWWXZTeVt_q9Mj4H-Abdq17H4GggF0xVFCMsz5-N5off_RIqQvhgT9WqJy5X9QP7uEQ/s1600/stock-photo-8423191-clouds-and-desert-colliding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8eWGX1QEIEevbO5OIC2WGIeG6OFHZFaxfYh1FxmL_2XhbHRLAazko4R8PhJRBQB2a3OxWWXZTeVt_q9Mj4H-Abdq17H4GggF0xVFCMsz5-N5off_RIqQvhgT9WqJy5X9QP7uEQ/s640/stock-photo-8423191-clouds-and-desert-colliding.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_76056510"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-8423191-clouds-and-desert-colliding.php?st=6cc21b4">http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-8423191-clouds-and-desert-colliding.php?st=6cc21b4</a><br />
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<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-23727401146350233702012-07-20T16:00:00.000+03:002012-07-20T13:36:54.064+03:00Tehillim Day 2בס"ד<br />
<br />
Tehillim 15 <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">תהלים טו</span><br />
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hashem, who will sojourn in Your Tabernacle?<br />
Who will dwell upon Your holy mountain?<br />
<br />
He who walks in wholehearted integrity<br />
and deals righteously<br />
and speaks truth in his heart.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsIewRKYPri9VJ2PXes49oYRcN1Sm-ldaiJnM11qbEicVxMKz1nmimHXH3TomWnT3M1yT9oZs48GKlmxtqUrkIBCcXU6cgumaz4T6j0MiKKepDmxaYrGUYnzSAChcTFsq2JCzpw/s1600/stock-photo-2767307-skyline-of-jerusalem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsIewRKYPri9VJ2PXes49oYRcN1Sm-ldaiJnM11qbEicVxMKz1nmimHXH3TomWnT3M1yT9oZs48GKlmxtqUrkIBCcXU6cgumaz4T6j0MiKKepDmxaYrGUYnzSAChcTFsq2JCzpw/s640/stock-photo-2767307-skyline-of-jerusalem.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-2767307-skyline-of-jerusalem.php?st=510770d" target="_blank"> http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-2767307-skyline-of-jerusalem.php?st=510770d</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-68682514186970752112012-07-20T15:00:00.000+03:002012-07-20T15:00:07.625+03:00Tehillim Rosh Hodesh Day 1בס"ד<br />
<br />
Tehillim 1 <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">תהלים א</span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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But only in the Torah of Hashem<br />
is his desire,<br />
and His Torah he meditates day and night. <br />
<br />
He will be like a tree<br />
set into the ground near streams</blockquote>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sRwnlnvUB-JnPUhvlOZRVBDebQbKRy-G_bve_meMJmanJ2TXpK3zZVXsIAhB3AklvPw9FEXane8el7IqBOXuJi4bplfxqhYpIB2-tNTqTQIsHCSKHr2epVc2Hc_5HHggj0jZFg/s1600/stock-photo-19657937-dan-nature-reserve-park-israel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sRwnlnvUB-JnPUhvlOZRVBDebQbKRy-G_bve_meMJmanJ2TXpK3zZVXsIAhB3AklvPw9FEXane8el7IqBOXuJi4bplfxqhYpIB2-tNTqTQIsHCSKHr2epVc2Hc_5HHggj0jZFg/s640/stock-photo-19657937-dan-nature-reserve-park-israel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_76056484"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-19657937-dan-nature-reserve-park-israel.php?st=e34032a">http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-19657937-dan-nature-reserve-park-israel.php?st=e34032a</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-30409855588734853922012-07-20T13:08:00.002+03:002012-07-20T13:08:37.682+03:00Tehillim Day 29בס"ד<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tehillim</span> 145/ <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">תהלים</span></b><b style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> קמה</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Your Kingship is the kingship for all times,<br />
and Your dominion is in every generation.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hashem supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM_OoX-7j77CntLWq57TOnIguic1GjGsuByCxZ4qLRWI4ziZJscQ5rlNVuVLpbwliEEQP6TXBS30EPHUfYhzpNI9Gz6KLNLbJNVa3zCIRIEklI7mwdIYChOnU4DaUO1mn3ZzKjw/s1600/stock-photo-1736379-jerusalem-wailing-wall-past-midnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM_OoX-7j77CntLWq57TOnIguic1GjGsuByCxZ4qLRWI4ziZJscQ5rlNVuVLpbwliEEQP6TXBS30EPHUfYhzpNI9Gz6KLNLbJNVa3zCIRIEklI7mwdIYChOnU4DaUO1mn3ZzKjw/s640/stock-photo-1736379-jerusalem-wailing-wall-past-midnight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1736379-jerusalem-wailing-wall-past-midnight.php?st=304484b" target="_blank"> http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1736379-jerusalem-wailing-wall-past-midnight.php?st=304484b</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></b></span>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-37320828679766371822012-07-20T11:54:00.003+03:002012-07-20T11:54:45.960+03:00Tehillim Day 28בס"ד<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thank Hashem for He is good, <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> הודו לי"י כי טוב</span></span><br />
for His kindliness endures forever. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> כי לעולם חסדו</span></span><br />
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Thank the G-d of gods, <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">הודו לאלקי האלוקים</span></span><br />
For His kindliness endures forever. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">כי לעולם חסדו</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCGySJtXvn7z8lNBeXMhxhkjQsPDb06S8tU1OUdQjsLmHsGIJ34yc3wrtiNsM1z_D4P8-UjQ9uiu8l7jvk6INdzw-S5-sUSqwQ_iOYEwht9G7k867NlfhQbTDY1ucun46UWDj6A/s1600/stock-photo-18630181-torah-reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCGySJtXvn7z8lNBeXMhxhkjQsPDb06S8tU1OUdQjsLmHsGIJ34yc3wrtiNsM1z_D4P8-UjQ9uiu8l7jvk6INdzw-S5-sUSqwQ_iOYEwht9G7k867NlfhQbTDY1ucun46UWDj6A/s640/stock-photo-18630181-torah-reading.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-18630181-torah-reading.php?st=0570615" target="_blank"> http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-18630181-torah-reading.php?st=0570615</a>Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-82377386029154346152012-07-19T22:30:00.001+03:002012-07-19T22:31:13.177+03:00Prayer 29 Tammuzבס"ד<br />
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Birkat Avot continued<br />
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"Each one of the Avot had their own individual merit in Service to Hashem. They each served Hashem in his own distinct way." pg. 113<br />
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We strengthen and awaken these traits when we pray this first blessing.<br />
We are connecting ourselves to the Avot.<br />
Hashem is above time and space and He experiences the Avot and their prayers as if they were alive, so when we make the effort to connect ourselves to them, it is more than just remembering, if we identify ourselves with them, through Hashem we become part of their lives, they are effectively praying for us, with us and about us when we make this blessing.<br />
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Exercise:<br />
<br />
Write today with the full knowledge that you have the support from our Fathers behind you urging you to success!Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-49182272649698358682012-07-19T22:23:00.000+03:002013-03-22T11:54:13.042+02:00Prayer: Rosh Hodesh Avבס"ד<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He brings a redeemer to their children's children, for His Name's sake, with love. <i>(From the siddur)</i>"We see that the culmination of Zeuchut Avot=merit of the Fathers- is in the redemption or the coming of the Messianic Age." pg. 116</blockquote>
</blockquote>
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On Rosh Hodesh Av when the most difficult time in the Jewish calendar begins and the mourning for the destruction and loss of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem intensifies, we continue in our daily prayers to remember that we are promised, in the merit of our forefathers, that Hashem will redeem us and reveal Himself and His Name with love.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Melech, Ozeir u'Moshia u'Magen מלך עזר ומושיה ומגן<br />
King Helper Savior and Shield<br />
"There are four levels of Siyata D'Shmaya ( heavenly help)"<br />
pg. 116-117 [From Jewish Meditation by Aryeh Kaplan, Schocken Books, pg.117]</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Melech</i>, a King, Who remains in His palace providing help from afar; <i>Ozeir, </i>a Helper, Who can be readily approached for assistance-an initial acknowledgment of our close relationship with Hashem; <i>Moshia, </i>a Savior, always close enough to rescue us, even at a moment's notice (as when a drowning person is plucked from a raging river); and <i>Magen</i>, a Shield, Who protects us from harm when there is not even a moment available for a savior's assistance.</blockquote>
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Exercise:<br />
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Use one or all of the following words in a piece:<br />
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King Redeemer <br />
Shield Helper<br />
Father Merit<br />
Rescue Protect <br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-28585584889119702712012-07-18T06:00:00.000+03:002012-07-18T09:54:39.517+03:00Prayer 28 Tammuz Bircat Avotבס"ד<br />
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The first blessing in the Shemoneh Esrei is Bircat Avot.<br />
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We are acknowledging that we are praying to the same G-d that our fathers Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov prayed to.<br />
We are part of an unbroken chain of Jews that are connected to the same G-d.<br />
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When I say this first blessing, I have this image in my mind:<br />
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I'm standing next to the three fathers, Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov. They are these spiritual giants and I'm this little tiny ant-like person compared to them. We are all standing, waiting to come into the presence of Hashem and of course, they are going to get in and stand in front and I pipe up: Please let me in because I'm with them!<br />
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On a certain level, I feel like I'm a gatecrasher, but I have these special friends, and they speak up for me and so I get in too, and I'm just as welcome as they are. But I always have to remember that they are ones that made that possible.<br />
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Write about someone that helped you become who you are today.<br />
<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36478711.post-51145403053923478392012-07-17T06:00:00.000+03:002012-07-17T06:00:06.172+03:00Prayer 27 Tammuzבס"ד<br />
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If I were to have the opportunity to speak to an important world leader, I'm sure I would be at a loss for words. If I didn't prepare myself ahead of time, it would be a waste of time as I probably wouldn't be able to think of something to say or ask that was meaningful.<br />
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Consider the following and write your impressions:<br />
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Our teachers and leaders have given us the precise text in the exact formula to say in front of the Creator and Ruler of the Universe!<br />
We have the perfect words for every time of life, everyday of the year to make the most of our meeting with our Father and King.<br />
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<br />Michal Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14375991246958391151noreply@blogger.com0