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11 Comments

Black Magic

By Chana Weisberg

Topics: Darkness, Potential & Actual, Internal & External, Beauty

Feeling overwhelmed by the darkness in your life? Follow the advice of a young child on how to find the beauty and goodness in everything...

Feeling overwhelmed by the darkness in your life?

Follow the advice of a young child on how to find the beauty and goodness in everything...

	By Chana Weisberg More articles... \|
	Chana Weisberg is a writer, editor and lecturer. She authored several books, including her latest, Tending the Garden: The Unique Gifts of the Jewish Woman. She has served as the dean of several women’s educational institutes, and lectures internationally on issues relating to women, faith, relationships and the Jewish soul.

The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by our content partner, Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.

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Latest Comments:

Posted: Apr 28, 2010

Thou shall not?

This video is about an art project, in that the children in this class or in Shul scrape off the black crayon in order to see the magic underneath. In turn the title of this activity is called Black Magic. You see the child creates a beautiful picture underneath is black covering and in life as an adult we all can be covered with that same kind of shroud. When we discover the coloring and life underneath it bring us purpose to life. In this case the black we work so hard to scrape off ends up finding our own truth. Sounds to me like someone may be looking to go on a witch hunt and maybe to hurt someone. All that this video is trying to say is underneath our negativity forges a new hope of positivity. Even a five year old girl can teach any adult something about what this art project means relative to G-d's message. Any human being at any age can surely teach any one of us a lesson or two about the beauty of G-d's love.

Posted By Richard Raff

Posted: Apr 28, 2010

Black Magic

How can such a term as "Black Magic" be so cloaked in innocence and used in an attempt to represent a deeper understanding of G_D? Those that practice "Black Magic" are in defiance of G_D and His commands. We are not to be like those who call good evil and evil good. To confuse the issues, especially in the mind of a child or to wittingly or unwittingly lead others astray is very dangerous. We must humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways that we might be forgiven lest we perish for lack of knowledge and have to give account for the others we have lead astray by our ignorance.

Exd 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

2Ki 21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.

Posted By Katrina

Posted: Nov 28, 2009

Anybody knows

Children have the best ideas and have true awe of their own creation .I think maybe we as adults need to except the honesty of true appreciation. I need to try harder to talk less and admire more. I do need some classes of Black Magic.

Posted By Richard Raff, BonneyLake, WA

Posted: Nov 27, 2009

Black Magic

Chana:
Since the election our president it is amazing how much of an increase in bigotry, impatience and out right exclusion in our places of employment many African Americans feel. It is no longer covert but overt loud and clear.As far as UPS goes this is what my spouse was informed as he went physically to the UPS office to complete an application" We dont do paper applications its all done online for only 2 hours per day" ...No the gentleman did not offer the info for the 2 hours the application process is open. African Americans are in the 90% rate of unemployment as a whole in the USA. It is a backlash for the progress others perceive we do not deserve. I also look at the black on top and pray to scrub off the black to find the beauty beneath. Pray for this situation to turn.

Posted By JOY, St Petersburg, Fl

Posted: Nov 26, 2009

RE: Lavan

Funny that you call him a black character. After all, his name, Lavan, means white in Hebrew. His goodness was so sublime that it was invisible.

Posted By gershon m, KS

Posted: Nov 26, 2009

Lavan

Lavan was a black character. I know that there were sparks of goodness in him. Can anyone elaborate on what these were ?
Madoff is a black character. I don't need help determining his goodness.

Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Nov 24, 2009

Power is like Psalm

I even ask Chabad.org if I could pray like David and if I could ask G-d for help or support. The reply was that I could ask G-d for anything. I think maybe the Rebbe could even understand the black magic of persecution in his background. Just think at that level and at any age we still speak that very same language,if you really need some kind of help. You have to scratch the surface and become part of the process.

Posted By Richard Raff, BonneyLake, WA

Posted: Nov 23, 2009

black magic

What a coincidence! Last week my friends children recieved a coloring book like this, with beautiful,colorful pictures underneath the black. i told them that instead of 'creating' something beautiful, they were taking beauty that was hidden, and revealing it.

Posted By ariella rosencrantz, seattle, wa

Posted: Nov 23, 2009

Black Magic

Art Linkleter was correct "Kids say the darnest things" And when we listen we become wiser and more child like. The short and to the point examples stay with us the longest. Well done, mom.

Posted By David Calabretta, Whitefish, Mt.

Posted: Nov 23, 2009

Then Tunnel of Light and Dark

I did enjoyed this video because I do believe that underneath the darkness we have G-d's light .I sometimes feel like that picture.When I wake up to go to work I am colorful and refreshed and alive .I start into the retail business where I work I begin to feel the shroud of darkness casted from directing eyes .I must defend the light inside, for they may wait to propane and mock G-d's gift for inlightenment.Then as I go home I try to start scraping the darkness off the coded picture. Some would say look at the poor Wal-Mart employee we have only tears for his journey,tears of laughter for sure.As I get home from work the picture is so clear for the darkness had shown that justice,with truth, bonded with faith,has overall won over my soul, a soul waiting for me to see the light.

Posted By Richard Raff, BonneyLake, WA

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