Wellsprings

The People who know their GOD will be strong and do exploits. Knowledge is power. I often think about the encounter Moses had. GOD is still speaking. I hear Him in the quietness of my inner temple, separating myself from the worldly chatter. I experience comfort and direction. Moses didn't really need to set foot on the "Promised Land". He was already there! The Rebbe, may have never set foot in Israel, yet he was there! The wellsprings of wisdom are flowing today! Reply

All people or Jews only? Reply

So true, Material vs Spiritual! The wellsprings refresh us with truth, allowing us to truly see beyond the illusions in life, freeing us of bondage, confusion and fear, allowing us to focus on the things "not" seen with the eye, rather focusing on the knowledge of G-d, that resides within our heart, the place, where the still small voice resides. I refuse to become stagnent, I will cross over to the other side to live. Reply

You are right Chaim from Cinncinnati, Moshiach is not G-d! I know this by revelation. I used to think so when I was an ignorant. Now I don't. Thanks be to Hashem, blessed be He! We, if we truly belief in G-D Almighty. The G-d of Abraham, we are to worship Him, and only Him! He is a jealous G-d. Some time, soon, the whole world will know this! Reply

Define wellsprings? In what language was the Baal Shem Tov addressed?
What word in that language was translated as "wellsprings"?

That word, in that language, is the one whose definition we need.

Meanwhile, we must live as if everyone knew that the Torah is the water of life, that Torah is a joyous way of life, and that GD is to be served with joy.

Maybe Rabbi Tzvi would like to add to this mandate: how do we live as if we were "wellsprings". I hope so. Reply

Thanks Ruth for the info you have given me. I will check it out this Shabbat. I have enjoyed reading the comments of others, thanks. Many blessings to you all, Reply

Moshiach is not GD, Gd forbid. Gd is GD. Man is man.
The moshiach ("messiah") is a man and not Gd.

The Ten Commandments, and all of Deuteronomy 13, and most of the Torah (Pentateuch) commands the Children of Israel to abstain from worshipping anyone but GD. To worship a man (such as the moshiach/messiah) is to worship someone who is not GD. That is why Jews do not worship the Christian "messiah"--because he is not GD. The moshiach/messiah is not GD. That is the difference between Christians and Jews. If you want to worship a messiah, you need to remain a Christian.

But if you do that, it means you are willing to take the risk that Gd will regard you as committing idolatry.

Try re-reading Deuteronomy 13. Reply

For Marie Beeken Who is wise? He who listens to everyone! That said I will retell an old story. Once a Jew came to an Hindu saint called Ramana Maharishi for some enlightenment. He wanted to become a disciple of Ramana Maharishi and adopt his spiritual practices.

Ramana replied. One of the precepts I believe in is reincarnation (as do some Jews) and you were reincarnated as a Jew, so go back home and be the best Jew you can be! If you were meant to be a Hindu you would have been reincarnated as a Hindu.

I don't know why you left Christianity but you can find GOD there too if you look and practice with intensity and want to find GOD! Live in the now as you can bring your own personal redemption today if you stop waiting for the Moshiach to come.

Lastly, most deep religious thinkers across all religions today will tell you there is nothing but GOD, (GOD is ONE) all else is illusion and a big distraction in our lives. Reply

Define Wellsprings.... Reply

Buddhism vs Judaism There is a book which may be of interest to Jewish people who are comparing Buddhism with Judaism, it's based on a correspondence between a Jew attracted to Buddhism and an Orthodox rabbi. "Letters to a Buddhist Jew" by David Gottlieb and Akiva Tatz. Reply

response to Marie in England Dear Marie:
My suggestion, as someone who has been reading this website for about 6 months or so, is to go to Moshiach 101. It's a series of readings. If you go to Moshiach and the Future Redemption, there are a ton of videos. "Moshiach Facts," a 3 part series by Rabbi Raskin, might be helpful to you. Good luck. Reply

Wellspring 1. the source of a stream, spring, etc.; fountainhead
2. a source of abundant and continual supply: a wellspring of knowledge

Our hunger and thirst for the word of G-d is likened unto a river of life that flows within, that when spoken, will touch the heart of humanity in Spirit and Life. As we witness a great awakening....Moshiach is near! Reply

I think that no one can limit G-d. According to the above, His wellsprings should reach all His creatures, all His creation and the reasons and ways we cannot even begin to understand, but can love and adhere. Reply

The Light /Force of Moshiach - RE: Marie Beeken, Debyshire, England According to the kabbalists who were merited the Upper Wisdom and entry into the Upper reality or spiritual world while still dwelling in this material world, say the following about "Moshiach":

They advise that when many people study the Kabbalah wisdom to correct their given nature to resemble G_d's quality, they will be as 'wellsprings' for humanity. They will draw the special light or Force called "Moshiach" that will raise us from our lowest material physical level to cross the barrier (Machsom) to enter our next higher level of existence.

All the Kabbalah texts have been opened now and under authentic guidance we hope the critical mass of wellsprings will bring the Force/Light of Moshiach and pass it onto humanity. This era has begun and we hope it extends to all as soon as possible. Reply

Simple Faith We must remember that according to the Baal Shem Tov, GOD does not draw a distinction between a simple, uneducated Jew who believes and observes the commandments whole­heartedly, and the greatest of sages versed in the intricacies of the Torah. According to the Baal Shem Tov, in the eyes of GOD, pure intentions, simple faith and a kind heart are fully as important as learning.

That said; like the miracles in Egypt, all repetition of these stories and time learning take away from actuality of our existence today. They take on a life of it's own and become more important than practice. We live today not in the past and where is the living Baal Shem Tov of our generation that we need so much?

The minute we start living in the stories we are in trouble, they become an obstical for us. Our daily challenges can not be resolved by using words. The old saying does; when you meet a ghost cut off it's head. The point is simply to practice with sincere and consistent effort every day. Reply

Please could you help me, as someone searching for Truth, having left Christianity. In your email today about the Moshiach I felt that you were in fact referring to G-d Himself as Moshiach, am I right in thinking this? This is a genuine enquiry in my search for true understanding of the scriptures. Reply

ahavas yisroel From what I've read about the Bal Shem Tov, I think the wellsprings being referred to are simply ahavas yisroel, love of one's fellow. This was the source of all of his teachings (from the stories I've read). Without true ahavas yisroel the teachings would have no ability to reach every Jew's soul, as ahavas Yisroel reflects Hashem's love for The Jewish people.

I don't think it the wellsprings have anything to do with wisdom, because any wisdom without true ahavas yisroel is not true wisdom.

When the wellsprings spread to the outside, refers, in my opinion, to when non-Jews will begin to have truer love for Jews- recognizing the light that G-d puts in us. This would be a miraculous love because ahavas yisroel exists only amongst Jews and honest love for Jew amongst non-Jews would exist in a redemption scenario, as we are eagerly anticipating from Reb Nachman of Breslev. Reply

The righteous have a place.... Please forgive me rabbi. I'm not clear if you said yes or no.

Take a Buddhist. He does not worship anything. He wants all living things to be happy. This means he must put their well-being before his own gain--he must not kill them, he must not steal from them, he must not have improper sex with them. He won't eat a limb from a living animal; he won't kill or injure any animal, much less eat it. He is faithful to the teachings of his faith, not from his own wisdom, but from a desire to behave lovingly to all living things. He doesn't know Torah; he doesn't know that Jews exist.

Does HE have a place in Olam Haba? Or is his disciplined effort to behave lovingly towards all living things discounted as "merely wise"?

In true Hindu faith, all the thousands of Hindu gods are merely variant manifestations of THE ONE, The behavior taught is righteous. Is the righteous behavior of a Hindu discounted as "merely wise" or is he admitted to Olam HaBa? Reply

What about good people who were brought up in East Asia and don't know anything about Torah? I mean people who obey all the Noachide laws.

But they don't know it's from Torah.

Does their goodness count as the light of Torah?

Or are they barred from Olam Haba? Reply