286. More Than Stories
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People think the Torah is all about laws and customs and quaint stories, with a mystical side as well.
In truth, the Torah is entirely spiritual. But when you cannot perceive the spiritual, all you see are laws and quaint stories.
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Latest Comments:
Thank you for your reply.
As for having it out with the rabbi, no can do. It's a long story and borders on loshon hora. One example i will share is that i was speaking about the 8th level of Chesed to a friend. I think it is from Maimonides. The rabbi interrupted : " There are only seven ! "
Why do you think i come to Chabad.org ? It offers fabulous teachers and great forums.
The best advice i received came from sagacious contacts. i was told not to correct rabbis, but rather to be magnanimous. So that is what i try to be. It fits in with refining, so i like it. Better for some rabbis to be ignorant in their bliss, rather than feel their authority undermined. Later i assured my friend that there were 8 levels. I had given a Bat Mitzvah present to his daughter and wrote : may you live Chesed at the 8th level. He had asked me to explain. Wonderful girl. She is already at the 8th level. Just wanted her and her dad to be aware of it.
Happy Shavuos !
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Interesting: "Torah" translates as instruction, but "Mishna" translates as learning.
Have that one out with your rabbi. I'd like to hear what he says.
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... By this i mean that by refining yourself, leads to great interpersonal connections with others, and with the world in general. By refining the world we fulfill our purpose of bringing about Moshiach and Hashem's Shechina to rest upon the Third Beit Hamikdash, " Bringing Heaven Down to Earth. "
Took me a while to get to that point of understanding. It may not work exactly that way for others, but it can't be too far off. It's hard to argue with trying to make the world a better place. Properly learned, Torah Study is interactive and positively fascinating, be it the Sefer Torah or Torah in general.
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In the initial lesson to working through the entire Chumash this question was posed by the Chabad rabbi teacher. I guessed ' learning '. " No " was his reply. The word he was looking for was teaching, or instruction or blueprint. This may be the correct translation, but it is so passive and rote.
It has taken me about 5 years to come up with my definition. That is that Torah is an active journey through which you learn who you are, and what it takes to be the best you can be.
It is easy and mundane to learn/study Torah facts and figures as if you are preparing for a test. It is secondary to find out what you can in the Torah. It is primary for you to find out what the Torah reveals in you. The Torah may look like a book, but in reality and joy it should feel like Hashem, like you are before Hashem. In this definition, i refer not tightly to the Sefer Torah, but to all facets of Torah study. It is not to be confused with navel gazing, but rather refining one's self.
By this i mean that by refining yourself, leads to great interpersonal connections with others, and with the world in general. By refining the world we fulfill our purpose of bringing about Moshiach and Hashem's Shechina to rest upon the Third Beit Hamikdash, " Bringing Heaven Down to Earth. "
Took me a while to get to that point of understanding. It may not work exactly that way for others, but it can't be too far off. It's hard to argue with trying to make the world a better place. Properly learned, Torah Study is interactive and positively fascinating, be it the Sefer Torah or Torah in general.
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The concept of a spiritual Thora is beautiful. However, how do you see the spirituality if you did not grow up with it? Is it not necessary to spend much of your life studying Thora to see it's spirituality? If you dedicate your life to some things other than Thora, how do you learn enough and get involved in Thora enough to see it's spirituality?
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u are right shalom tada raba
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Only one real comment to make really...Amien,Amien,Amien...
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Few years ago I received the first time books from rabbi Riskin of Efrat. He used to be in the USA. He calls Genesis the book of love, life, and family. I never thought of it so but that was first time I learn talking, reading, listening to the rabbis really help me to understand. I read somewhere in Exodus they are not 10 commandments of rules and regulations but mitzvah of privilege and honor. I am just so excited about Shavuot coming even I can not hear the Torah like you do!
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when do u see the spiritual side if you only see the physical side?
How you change the way you understand the text?
Does it happen over time or just a random revelation?
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