Time to Get Over It – Becoming Better not Bitter.

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People live lives based upon an occurrence that happened to them.

Yes, we should surely learn from experience. Yes – everything happens for the good. Yes G-d had some positive reason for it to happen.

If this experience helped to become a better person fine.

If it helped him to become a bitter person – then they lost the message of G-d.

G-d wants his children to be happy. Some people have propelled themselves to heights through overcoming difficulty. Athletes. Business people. Musicians. Artists. Inventors. Scientists. People from all walks of life.

Other have become the complainers. The deniers of G-d. The haters. The abusers. The bullies. The hermits. The self-pity-ers. The naysayers and those with the negative attitudes towards life. They blog about the negativity of the world. They cast negative stereotypes on others – who are similar to those that made them suffer.

Suffering is a two edge sword. Some take it as a reason to look at the world with negative lenses. Some take it to cut the cake and eat it. Like it says – the pessimist sees the glass half-empty. The optimist drinks it.

You chose your attitude. “He made me sad” is not a reason – it is an excuse. You may not control what happens. But You control your attitude. And you can choose to be happy or bitter. It is in your hands.

Obviously each should seek help from others. Each should work on their self esteem. Each should take the time to learn from the suffering – to overcome it. To learn what good came out of it. And to look at the good in everything G-d sends.

That is the goal of suffering – to become better not bitter.

= = =

Recently  Got a Text:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z  is equal to: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then,

H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K* =8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E=11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 *=96%

L+U+C+K  =12+21+3+11 = 47%

None of them makes 100%.* *Then what makes 100%?

Is it Money?

NO!

M+O+N+E+Y= 13+15+14+5+25 =72%

Leadership? NO!

L+E+A+D+E+R+S+H+I+P=12+5+1+4+5+18+19+8+9+16 =97%

Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our “ATTITUDE”…

A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E ;* 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

It is therefore OUR ATTITUDE towards Life and Work that makes OUR Life 100% Successful.

Amazing mathematics

The Secret Message in the English Alphabet

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English is a derivative of Latin. What is Latin’s origin? Latin is a derivative of Hebrew. Hebrew is the mother of all languages. But who made the Latin Language?

Ever wonder why in English some letters names start with the sound they represent (Bee – starts with B sound, Dee – starts with D sound, Jay – starts with J sound.) and some letters end with the sound of the letter? (ef – ends with f, el – ends with L, em – ends with m, en ends with n.). In the Hebrew Alphabet all the letters names start with the sound they represent.

Just recently a Rabbi said a “Dvar Torah” that enlightened me of the reason. He received photocopy of an essay from a Book from the Herzog Research Group about the subject of the origin of language of Latin. He gave me a copy. The book is called:

תא שמע
מחקרים במדעי היהדות לזכרו של ישראל מ’ תא-שמע

מחקרים במדעי היהדות- כרך ב – מקורותיו האלפבית הלטיני
שניאור ז’ ליימן מקורותיו הרבניים של האלפבית הלטיני: עקבותיה
של אגדה ימי-ביניימית אבודה
525

Ta Shema / Come & Hear –
Research on Jewish Studies – Volume 2

The Rabbinical sources of the origin of the Latin language

Shneur Z. Leiman
Rabbinic sources of the Latin alphabet: Lost traces
of the medieval times

It says that comparing – the Hebrew alphabet to the Latin Alphabet English it is clear that the Latin came from Hebrew.

Here are Hebrew letters that correspond to English

Kaf, Lamed, Mem, Nun correspond to English letters K,L,M,N

Ayin, Peh – correspond to O, P

Quf, Resh, Sin, Taf correspond to Q,R,S,T

The document says that eL eM eN are names of Latin letters that are actually words in Hebrew.

The document explains a verse in Ovadia 1:1-2 – which says:

The prophecy of Obadiah. We have received tidings from the LORD, And an envoy has been sent out among the nations: “Up! Let us rise up against her for battle.” Thus said my Lord GOD concerning Edom:

I will make you least among nations, You shall be most despised.

The verse is talking about Edom – the Roman Government. Rav Yosef explains – that the Romans were denigrated because they had no writing and no language. Rashi there states- that they are denigrated because they do not have their own own writing or own language.

Rashi on Talmud Avoda Zara 10a states- The Romans writing and language comes from another people. Even their books were written by others.

Rabbi Yehuda Ben Barzilai from Barcelona (who lived around the 12th century) – writes in his explanation of the Sefer Yetzira.

“The alphabet that comes from the people who err (ie, the church) …they made 23 letters* that they took from our [Hebrew] language and other letters they found…they have no writing or language for they took writing or language from others and from here and there.

…all their language came from one (some say another) pen.

some of their letters names start with the sound they represent [Bee – starts with B sound, Dee – starts with D sound, Jay – starts with J sound.] and some letters end with the sound of the letter. [ef – ends with f, el – ends with L, em – ends with m, en ends with n.]

Also you find that there are 23 letters in the Latin Language. The 3 middle letters surrounded by 10 letters before and 10 after them – are EL, EM, EN.”

The person who made the language for them – inserted a code in the Alphabet

EL – in Hebrew means – “G-d”

EM – in Hebrew means “a Mother.”

EN – in Hebrew means “Does not have”

“The Message “G-d does not have a mother.”

“For the creators of the alphabet – since they knew that there was no substance to their [the Roman’s & the Church’s] ideas – wrote our [the Torah’s] truth – to publicize and contradict the lie that is lacking, without sense and they call god – one who is a man. Therefor they came and placed them [those letters – L,M,N] to contradict all their errors – and to tell the truth with those three letters – that He [G-d] has no mother – and that is [what it means] A mother of G-d, there is not.”

The creator of the alphabet knew that the Church wanted to propagate ideas contrary to the Torah – so the creator of the alphabet – put that message in the middle three letters.

The Author Brings another source of Rabbi Meir ben Shimon Hameili – from Narbona in his sefer Milh’emet Mitzvot:

Behold in the Letters it is written L, M, N. “G-d, a Mother, He has not.” Behold the [Torah] Sages that instituted the letters- that it is not proper to believe and say that G-d has a mother. This is a great allusion against the their faith that according to what the nations believe in their faith.

The question – the Author of the essay asks – is that why did the author of the alphabet write the message in Hebrew?

He answers that – the author of the alphabet and the author of the New Testament were Jewish Torah sages. They were forced by the Roman government to come up with the Alphabet and the New Testament. So they put messages in the Latin Alphabet and contradictions and irrational concepts in the NT.

He brings another source – written in 1705 by Yohanan Yaakov Holdrikus – in his book.

The sages were put on an island. They were forced to write a language that promoted the laws of “J.” They wanted to allude that all the laws that they were commanded to include were all falsity – so they put a Message into the whole Alphabet.

They made a statement in the meaning language’s letters names.

This is their message:

AB – is Abba in Hebrew – meaning Father [this refers to the father of the occidental nations – Esav / Esau] / אבא

CD – Tzidei – was a hunter – [hunting for food for his father] / צידי

EF – Ayef in Hebrew means he was tired – [since his children believed in “J.” or because he went hunting] . עיף

[G] – his son J.

HI – H’ai – he lived / חי

KL – Ka E-l – like he was a god. / כ-אל

[their mind was blasted]

Because G-d Has no mother

K – Ki means like or because /

L – E-l means G-d

M – Em – means mother / אם

N – En means has not / אין

[and “J.” had a mother.] He was a Heretic.

OPQRS – Apikorus – he is a Heretic / disbeliever in Torah / אפיקורס

TU – ta’u – He made a mistake

wx – ma’akesh – he was stubborn

yz – Yazid – and was intentional sinner

[like his father Esav – who ate bowl of stew.] [from his brother Jacob who bought his birthright for a pot of lentils].

The message above is consistent with our Torah sources. The Church censored the the Talmud. The Jews collected the censored parts and put it into a book called – H’esronot HaShas / חסרונות הש”ס / The Omissions of the Talmud. It includes the story of “J.” (in Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin) The story about him says the same thing as the message  that he was an inciter to idolatry and committed 5 cardinal sins – one of them denying the existence of G-d.

The True G-d is in the Word G-d

Someone Recently pointed out to Me about the “Gematria” / Numerical Value of the Word “G-d” and the Word Hash-m is the same. The name of Hash-m in Hebrew Has the Gematria of 26 (10 +5 +6+5). 26 is a well known number – many people make a multiple of this number as pledges to Torah Causes. They give $26, $52, $260, $2600. The Letter “G” is Letter number 7 in the English Alphabet. The Letter “O” is Letter number 15 in the English Alphabet. The Letter “D” is Letter number 4 in the English Alphabet. 7 + 4 + 15 = 26. Another Hidden Message – the True G-d is Hash-m.

What now?

7 Noahide laws exist for all gentiles to learn what G-d really wants for a person.

The Shulchan Aruch is the Jewish Code of law – telling us the laws from the Torah for Jews.

==

*Some Latin letters were added later – thus our Alphabet has 26 letters

From Omniglot

Roman alphabet for Latin

The Romans used just 23 letters to write Latin:

There were no lower case letters at first, and K, Y and Z used only for writing words of Greek origin. The letters J, U and W were added to the alphabet at a later stage to write languages other than Latin. J is a variant of I, U is a variant of V, and W was introduced as a ‘double-v’ to make a distinction between the sounds we know as ‘v’ and ‘w’ which was unnecessary in Latin.

Mind Control – Controlling Your Life & Body with Your Mind

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It’s all in your mind!

You control your body, your mood, your energy level and your healing with your mind.

Recently at a Talk called “The Key to Your Mind” by Dr. Peter Reznik, he demonstrated the power of thought.

The Power of Truth – the Lie Detector

He requested a volunteer. David* raised his hand reluctantly and was chosen. In front of the crowd, Dr. Reznik said “stick out your arm.” He did so. “I will try to push it down with two fingers.” He did not succeed.

Dr. Reznik said “Say ‘My Name is David'”. The volunteer, telling the truth, did so. Dr. Reznik tried to push down David’s arm with two fingers, without success.

Dr. Reznik then told him “Say ‘My Name is Peter.'” The volunteer, telling a lie, did so. Applying the same force, Dr. Reznik tried to push down David’s arm with two fingers, with success.

Telling the Truth, David was stronger. Telling a lie made David weaker.

The Power of Positivism

Dr. Reznik said “Think of a pleasant experience”. The volunteer did so. Dr. Reznik tried to push down David’s arm with two fingers, without success.

Dr. Reznik then told him “Think of a negative experience”. The volunteer did so. Applying the same force, Dr. Reznik tried to push down David’s arm with two fingers, with success.

The obvious lesson is – telling the truth and thinking positive thoughts makes a person stronger.

Mental Exercises

Dr. Reznik conducted four exercises to allow a person to determine their mental state.

One was for a person to imagine he or she turned into a tree. After taking some deep breaths and closing their eyes – they imagined themselves as a tree. He asked what kind of tree they were, what was the background, how deep were there roots. Analyzing the answers he was able to roughly determine their state of thought.

A Second Exercise was for people to imagine they were in a box. He asked – What happened? Many said – they broke out of the box.

A third exercise was imagine that one captured a Yellow Leaf in their hands. He asked what happened after they let go of the leaf. Many answered.

Another question was to imagine themselves trying to escape from a cave – yet a rope was attached to them.. They were asked “Who is holding the rope.” This demonstrated how a person can determine their impediments.

I guess the maxim “don’t worry, be happy” has some validity to it.

*Name Changed

How to Starve a Cold – advice from the sages

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I used to never get colds. Those were the days. I mean the days that I drank orange juice daily for breakfast. I still drink it, but not as regularly.

Just recently I got one.

I think I have to get back into the orange juice habit.

So a first step to prevent a cold is to strengthen the immune system. Vitamin c. Also eat bread daily for breakfast. A good breakfast with at least one ounce of whole wheat bread eaten within 7 minutes within the course of the meal will protect you from heat or cold.

But let’s say someone already had a cold. What now?

There are things to avoid – poultry, fat meat, dairy, eggs and nuts. I tried it. It calms the symptoms of a cold. This is what it says in talmud. / Berakhot 57b

Guess it’s also good to stay warm.

My Quick Encounter with an Atheist – the Question He Could Not Answer

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I asked a man for the time. He told me.

Ready to walk away, I thought he looked interesting. I asked him if he wanted to learn about the 7 Noahide Laws for all Humanity.

He declined. He exclaimed he was an atheist.

I asked him [if you believe so] ‘Where does the world come from? Does it make sense to you that the world was created by randomness?’ He grumbled something, but nothing to defer the claim of irrationality in atheistic belief.

There are no random molecules that could have created a flower. There are no random molecules that could have created a baby. There are no random molecules that could have created even a cell. The first one and even more the second.

You have two types of people or attitudes.

One person is willing to go all out for truth. Even if it means changing their lifestyle or disregarding their beliefs or belief system.

The more common attitude – I hold of a certain position based upon my lifestyle or upbringing – and keep it as long as it can suit me. I don’t question it. I don’t want to change.

The first is the attitude G-d wants us to take. For he knows if one follows truth he will come to find what G-d really wants from us. He gave Torah to enable us to reach that state of freedom.

The media and the marketers prefer the second attitude to keep you glued to big brother – whatever your big brother may be.

G-d knows what’s right and wrong. Do we?

Lesson for Life – the Proper Reaction to UN Resolutions Against Israel

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Don’t judge yourself based upon what others say.

Some will say you are nice. Some will say you are bad. Don’t judge yourself based upon them.

As is obvious with most UN resolutions against Israel they have nothing to do with reality. Really. If I were to say that Joseph Kilgour was the first President of the US (POTUS) because I saw a film with him acting as the first president, you would say ‘that is nonsense’. Changing history to support your agenda is also nonsense. Perhaps the theory that the UN is made up of Aliens that seek to dominate the world is also true? Once you inject lies into a discussion – anything goes.

So what’s a person, annoyed by the biased resolutions, to do? Complain? Condemn? Protest? All are mostly a waste of time. You will not get someone who has a grudge against you to change, unless they are a special person. You will not get them to change. Your efforts will be in vain.

better to use this anger as momentum to change yourself. The point is to not benchmark yourself based upon others. Like the popular saying goes – sticks and stones may break bones but names will never harm me. Yes. If you don’t take them to heart.

There is an expression in French that says “The Dogs Bark and the Caravan Passes.” I don’t determine my self worth based upon others. I don’t determine my goodness or the opposite based upon others. I have a higher standard to use as a guide & a benchmark – the Torah.

A Nation that Dwells in Solitude

We should really say thank you to the UN. For they remind the Jewish people of the Torah Verse:

“כי מראש צורים אראנו ומגבעות אשורנו, הן עם לבדד ישכון ובגויים לא יתחשב”
“I see him from atop the rocks, I behold him from the hills – this is a nation that shall dwell in solitude, and will not be counted amongst the nations” – Bamidbar / Numbers (23:9)

When we only are concerned about our spiritual perfection as guided by Torah – we won’t need to be concerned about what others say. When we are doing right in the eyes of G-d, we don not need the approbation of the nations – we live according to the standards of a Higher Authority.

Living the Torah Standard – to emulate G-d – we become the Light to the Nations. Living to emulate the nations – we become the derision of the nations – as seen by the UN votes, the Nazis, etc.

The Messages of G-d

G-d sends us messages every day. The messages are sometimes – Tsunamis, Acts of Terror, UN Resolutions against Israel, Hurricanes. The point is to decifer the messages to improve ourselves. If we hear the message – we need not that it be repeated or said louder.

So instead of giving !@#$%^&* for tat or becoming all ruffled because of the Anti-Semitism disguised as votes in the UN – become better. Take a Mitzvah. Say OK let me use this dissatisfaction of others in a positive way. Let me take upon myself another mitzvah. If I differenciate myself from the nations – by observing Torah & Mitzvoth – I won’t need the UN or the Nazis to remind me. I’ll take care of differentiating myself & G-d will take care of them.

Choose Life! Choose Your Manner of Uplifting or Downfall

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G-d knows all. G-d runs the world Middah Keneged Middah. Meaning measure for measure. Do good – get good. Do bad – and get bad from the same source.

Thus –

It’s good to be good.

It’s bad to be bad.

Not only does a good person live a happier, more peaceful life but they do not cause their own downfall.

The detriment of sin worse than punishment – the loss of potential

In a philosophical discussion with my cousin, he asked “If you could do any sin – and not be held accountable – what would you do?” I thought about it a moment and answered “Probably nothing.” Why? There are several negative aspects of sin – One is one does bad to another or to society. Another is the punishment. But another is the bad done to oneself. If I were to chase after women, I would waste my life. Not establishing a family, not bringing up children with proper Torah values, not contributing to the building of society is not worth the temporary pleasure of transgression.”

In Torah it says – “A person only sins if a spirit of folly enters him.” Why? Because if one put serious thought before sin they would never sin. It would never make sense. The loss would always be more than the gain. Take a person who steals. His gain – the value of object stolen. The loss – the pain to the person he stole from. The fear that the police will take them to jail. If caught – the time spent in court, the time spent in jail. The loss of freedom.

Honesty is the best policy.

Punishment – from sin itself

The wicked Haman, in the Purim story – built a gallows that was 50 amot / 100 feet high – to hang  Mordechai, the Jew. What happened. Mordechai was saved. And Haman was hung with his 10 sons on the gallows he made.

In the same story – Esther, risked her life to talk with the king to save the Jewish people. Her life was also saved because Haman’s plans were foiled.

A person was depressed. they decided to focus on doing kindness with others. eventually, their care and efforts for others propelled them out of depression to a meaningful existence.

A man who had trouble marrying off his daughter – pledged to finance the wedding of a poor couple. The couple, grateful to the man, knew someone that was a fine candidate for his daughter. They eventually got married.

Do good and receive good.

G-d says – I have placed before you good and evil – life and death. Choose life.

Our job in this world is to Choose Life!

lighten up – lightening your load physically, emotionally and spiritually

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sorry.

my shift-keys are not working.

thus i type lower case.

it’s ok.

it makes things easier.

there are ways to get around it. copy capital letters from other places. PUT ON CAPS LOCK. change the case in the word processor.

everything is good. even this.

i’ll deal with it eventually.

but now i’m happy. no need to shift.

G-d is good. He feeds the whole world. He sends our income and sustenance. He also sends difficulties and challenges. but all is for the good.

some people act like donkeys – not in the pejorative sense – but they take one problem and put it on their back. another one comes along. they hold on to the other problem. another. until the straw comes and breaks the ‘camel’s’ back. they snap.

it’s not supposed to be that way. G-d sends us challenges for our ultimate good. problems are like detours in the road that ultimate lead you to the good path.

a person should generally be happy with life. that should be their general mood – be happy. don’t worry – be happy is a Torah concept in 4 words.

so how does a person lighten up. bills are piling up. no job. no spouse. no income. no friends. what now. [the period should be a question mark. sorry – the shift problem.]

lightening up is easy. there are three venues – the physical, the emotional and the spiritual.

why be concerned about the physical. when one is in good health and shape they feel better. here are some tips.

physical lightening up

  1. eat a balanced diet
  2. don’t eat till you are hungry
  3. don’t eat till you are full – save some space
  4. walk a bit after a meal – it helps the digestion going.
  5. sleep on your left side – it helps digestion
  6. eat light meals.
  7. eat a good breakfast – before midday – with bread, preferably more than an ounce of whole wheat bread – without sugar or sweeteners in the bread – eaten within a span of less than 7 minutes. having a solid breakfast – with bread – will prevent you from snacking meals.
  8. eat healthy snacks.
  9. eat fruits and vegetables before meal.
  10. eat in moderation
  11. chew well
  12. eat in a calm, relaxed setting
  13. avoid too much meat [like Maimonides – the rambam – who was a doctor and rabbi, says]
  14. exercise. stay in shape.
  15. do needs regularly. [remember to say asher yatzar – prayer for good health]
  16. fast once a week – from morning to evening. [even if you have breakfast]

obviously, you must know your own constitution. what your own body needs. consult a doctor if necessary. some people avoid salt. others need salt for their constitution.

emotional and psychological lightness

a person’s emotions have an effect on their health. thus being emotionally healthy, helps a person to be physically healthy.

  1. avoid anger. if one is temperamental – it befits them to read books on the subject – like anger, the inner teacher by rabbi zelig pliskin.
  2. look at the positive in every situation.
  3. look at all the good you have in life
  4. don’t talk badly about others.
  5. don’t watch, read and listen to negative tidings – news, etc.
  6. avoid negative people.
  7. know that G-d is good and does good for us every moment – like a loving father.
  8. keep calm – Hash-m / G-d is in control
  9. believe it will be good and it will be good

spiritual lightness

after Yom Kippur – i feel lighter – not only because of the fast but also because i let go of a load of sins that kept me down. i relieved the load from my back. at times a person feels depressed because of the spiritual. they have everything they need physically, emotionally and psychologically – but they still feel sad. this could be a sign of spiritual deficiencies. i myself know, from experience, that transgression brings a person down emotionally. so if one wants a lift – and to lighten their load – the first step is to know the proper path to spirituality.

some think that spirituality is found in exotic places like the far east, or thailand or india. sorry – wrong address. why. because spirituality is closeness to G-d. G-d only appeared once in the history of mankind to an entire nation – composed of millions of people. they heard Him speak directly to them at the revelation at mount sinai about 3,300 years ago. G-d doesn’t change his mind. so, obviously the Torah is the law that G-d gave to achieve ultimate spirituality. if a person took this to paragraph to heart – they would save thousands of dollars and much time and effort – by knowing that the address to spirituality starts with Torah. first one must find the right path, then pursue spirituality. if they do not, they end up churning water.

i tell you this from experience. i sinned. i ate non kosher. i didn’t observe the shabbat [a Gentile does not have to eat Kosher and does not observe the Sabbath]. i didn’t keep many other laws. when i transgressed i felt heavy. down. out of it. saddened. when i put my act together – and did teshuva / repentance – i felt lighter and happier. holiness and happiness are synonymous.

lightening up spiritually

  1. remove yourself from transgression – Jews follow the Shulchan Aruch – code of Jewish law and Gentiles follow – the seven Noahide commandments – given to the Jews at mount sinai in the Torah for all humanity to follow.
  2. do teshuva / repentance – the steps to teshuva include – 1. cessation – stopping doing the misdeed. 2. commitment – firm resolve never to repeat the deed. 3. regret – sincere remorse for wrong one did. 4. confession verbally admitting to G-d / Hash-m the wrong one did and asking forgiveness.
  3. learn torah – have a regular schedule to learn Torah through attending lectures, reading books, listening to audio etc. see the links sections
  4. eat kosher – eating kosher purges negative spirituality from one’s system. guard the mouth.
  5. avoid transgressions involving desires of the body. – ie, guard the eyes, the heart, the touch. celibacy is good to purge negativity and desire from one’s system. a person celibate can make a better decision for a marriage partner.
  6. purity in thought – think pure thoughts allows you to lighten your attachment to the physical.
  7. avoid listening and talking badly about others
  8. physicality can be used for spiritual or holiness. one should choose to use it the proper way. physicality can be used to bring a person up or down. a person eats Kosher food – brings himself up. a person who eats pork and non-kosher food brings themselves down spiritually.
  9. go to the mikve – purifying waters
  10. for married couples – keep family purity laws
  11. women – keep laws of tzniut. tzniut is loosely defines as modesty. it entails laws of how a Jewish daughter dresses. today’s society’s motto is dress to impress. to tell you the truth – i don’t need that pressure. remove that pressure – you remove a load. you would rather have a person appreciate you for your innner quality and beauty – rather than your outer garments – that have nothing to do with your inner self.
  12. do kindness with others – when you do you feel better about yourself and feel purpose in life
  13. know your purpose and pursue it – you have a particular purpose – find it out and go full speed ahead to achieve it
  14. keep yourself occupied with doing good for others. actively pursue doing good – according to Torah. If you are not sure if an activity you are involved with is good according to Torah – ask a competent, reputable orthodox rabbi.
  15. have a close relationship with G-d – call out to Him for anything. ask Him for all you need. express yourself to Him. ask Him to direct you, guide you, show you the proper path in life, protect you. He is your loving father. you always have someone who loves you, will listen to you, and will help you through any ordeal or concern – no matter how big or small. you can never ‘bother’ G-d / Hash-m. He always answers anyone who calls out to him sincerely.
  16. solve your problems – don’t complain. take action to improve your lot. at times G-d sends difficulties for a person to become closer to him. resolving to follow in His ways can solve problems two-fold. one – G-D no longer has any reason to send you difficulties – if you are following his path. two – following the torah path helps a person avoid difficulties. a example is a person who eats Kosher will likely not get swine-flu. or a person who is celibate will not likely not get herpes. or a person who keeps Shabbat – will have better family relations – because they eat meals together at least once a week.
  17. be happy with what you have.
  18. be thankful to G-d and to people around you
  19. have a positive attitude
  20. Have emunah and bitachon in Hashem – having faith that G-D is good and does only good to you – is one way to lighten your load. read the book ‘living emunah – a guide to serenity in daily living’ – first and second edition – by david ashear is an excellent book to help a person built this attitude.

G-d wants you to be happy. you just have to believe in Him and yourself and your half-way there to lightening up your load.

Uplifting the Five Souls or Finding Music to Gladden the Heart

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Music in Judiasm
David HaMelekh / the King had a Kinnor / Harp. He would play it and the midnight wind that blew through the strings would awaken him. He used it to reach a higher state of Joy to learn Torah.

Music is an essential part of Judaism. We sing or chant many of the prayers in the daily prayer services.

The Usual Mood of a Person

Usually – we are to be in a state of happiness. Prayer and serving G-d with happiness is a way to reach high spiritual heights. The Ariz”l reached his heights due to his serving G-d with happiness.

Music can lift a person to higher spiritual heights and can help them shirk off sadness. Music can en-wrap a person and change his mood. The Levite musicians, outside the Beit Hamikdash, were able to look at a person and play the precise melody to improve his mood.

Moroccan Jewish Prayer is known for its beautiful melodies, cantillations and Torah reading. Some say the Melodies in Moroccan prayer are from the melodies played by the Levites at the Time the Beit Hamikdash / Holy Temple.

Using Music to Improve Mood

Jewish kings would ask their court musicians to play for them music to allow them to reach the level of happiness needed to reach higher spiritual heights.

Yaakov Avinu / Jacob Our Forefather heard his granddaughter, Serach Bat Asher / the daughter of Asher to singing to him a song that “Joseph is Alive.” He was rejoiced. He blessed her to live forever. She did live many years afterwards. (She was alive at the Time of Moses – hundreds of years later).

I believe his Ruach HaKodesh / Spiritual Holiness – returned to him when he heard this song. For 22 years he lacked this state of holiness because he was saddened when he heard that his son Yosef was attacked by an animal and was missing. Music brought him back to a higher level of happiness that he lost.

I read once a person who was down started listening to comedies and comedians. He got as many as he could. He listened. He laughed in bed for days. He kicked his sadness away.

Good for him. If it works for you – good too.

Being Attuned to Music – What mood it Evokes

Some music brings you up. Some Down. One can recognize what mood it evokes. Some music is made to evoke happiness. or Sadness. Desire. or Melancholy.

Ask yourself, what mood does this music evoke for me?

Then choose the one that makes you happy.

Music & the Soul – When Music Just Doesn’t Do it for You

Yet some try comedy. Some try music. Some try amusement parks.

But they still say – “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.”

Why?

Apparently a person is composed of several souls. One is an earthly Soul – that craves physical satisfaction to assure the health of the body. A more lofty soul exists as well that craves the spiritual. To uplift the soul – one chooses music that lifts up the spiritual soul – rather than engaging the physical soul.

The Five Souls

There are five souls – Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya Yeh’ida.

Some people have more souls than others. I guess the more spiritual one becomes – the more souls they acquire.

Spirituality – we define as the process of becoming closeness to G-d through Torah guidance.

Different kinds of music will evoke different feelings. Music can uplift a person spiritually. And music can evoke other negative spiritual outcomes.

I remember I used to listen to certain rock music. When I reflect upon the music I listened to I find that it evokes for me feelings of melancholy. Not only for the memories of the my youth past. But in the music itself I feel melancholy.

When I go to a Jewish Wedding the music is uplifting. Apparently some music provides spiritual happiness and some provides impurity. The spiritually uplifting one will bring a person up. The other music will do the opposite – it might bring negativity, or desire or sadness into the person. Thus being selective about music can change a person’s mood.

Contemporary Jewish Music usually brings one up. Apparently one should be concerned about the spirituality of the singer.

Years ago a Jewish singer that was following Torah. He continued singing Jewish songs, but went off the Torah path. A well-known great rabbi said that one should avoid his music being used in the prayers from the period he left the proper path.

When Music Doesn’t Work

At times a person is depressed. They feel life is caving in on them. They feel like they can turn to no one. Unfortunately, many feel that way – but if one were to make a small inquiry one would find that many avenues exist of people more than willing to help you. (you can always contact us – friend@jerusalemlife.com. And remember to carry the “You are Special Card.” 🙂 )

So people try the clubs. They try the bars. Music. Comedy. Sitcoms. Classical. Rock. Nothing. Nothing. Emptiness remains. I talk from experience.

What now?

Apparently you have to define where the sadness is coming from. Is it a deep sadness due to the fact one feels no purpose? Is it a sadness that one has no job? Is it sadness due to not being married? Is it sadness due to not having children?

Apparently all stem from – the spirituality soul. A person doesn’t usually become depressed because he has no candy to eat. Maybe annoyed. Depressed, not really.

If a person is abused. Or insulted. Or beaten. This requires immediate consultation with close family members or friends on what is the best path. Or speak with a reputable social worker that preferably has daat Torah / Torah knowledge.

Prayer to Hash-m / G-d helps in all cases.

You might need a friend. A good friend. A very good friend that will hear with patience your concerns. Who will not misjudge you.

The Spiritual Health

A definite connection exists between psychology & attitude of a person and their mental & even physical health.

But after all is said and done aside from physical & mental health – a person’s own spiritual health has a bearing on their happiness.

One’s spirituality has an effect on their happiness and state of mind.

The more spiritual – one becomes – the more one relies on the Creator. One puts their burdens on Him – rather than keeping everything on their heart and on their back. Our G-d / Hash-m is a kind Creator. He is our Father that wants the best for us.

The closer to Hash-m / G-d one feels – the close one is to spiritual satisfaction.

If you are spiritually satisfied – that will have an effect on mental and physical well-being.

So what is a good place to start – if you are far from the spiritual?

Becoming Close to Spiritual

First believe in yourself. Know what you are an important person in the world and important in G-d’s eyes. Know that G-d loves you and wants your best. Know that challenges and problems are here not to break you but to guide you to the proper path.

Three Steps for Relieving Depression – Knowing the Good in You, Seeing Good in Life and Becoming Closer with Hash-m / G-d

Write down all your good points. Brainstorm. Don’t criticize any idea. Just keep writing all your good qualities. Continue. Now Take another sheet of paper. Or keep typing. Now write all of the good things you have in life. Print and post in front of you. Write all the people who you love. Write the people who love you. Call to Talk to some of them.

Now write very precisely and concisely write your greatest problem on a piece of paper. Now write the 5 main causes in five separate columns. Now under each cause brainstorm for solutions. Do not evaluate. Just keep writing – solutions. Solutions. Solutions. Then take that paper and discuss it with others and implement the solutions daily.

Overcoming problems takes patience and prayer to Hash-m. Simple overnight solutions may not always be available. But commitment to a long term solution will usually relieve the problem. If not more prayer, consultation with people, effort for physical solution and spiritual solutions will usually help.

Listen to Torah Lectures. Change slowly. Take one step at a time into Jewish spirituality. Commit to one small Mitzvah and when ready take another.

Learn Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers with an Orthodox Rabbi – or listen Torah Lectures on audio. Listen to Jewish Music.

Take one step at a time. Be in touch with a caring, reputable Orthodox Rabbi. Speak with friends & family. Grow. Be Positive. Get Help. Talk it out. Share your burden with Hash-m and others. You’ll overcome it.

Sometimes problems are like growing pains. They are there – to help you grow into the best person you can be. But have a friend or a mentor to help you on your path to growth.

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Sometimes a person has a physical problem linked to the spiritual. Each member of the body corresponds to a Mitzvah. I heard from a lecture of R. Yeshayahu Pinto (Parasha Vayigash) that the eyes, correspond to the Mitzvah of Honoring Parents (A person has 2 – Eyes and 2 Parents). If a person was having eye trouble – aside from visiting the ophthalmologist – it might be good to improve their deeds towards their parents. I also heard shoulder pain being linked to interruption between Mayim Acharonim / washing Fingertips after a bread meal and the Birkat Hamazon / Grace After Meals. The reason – תכף לנטילת ידים ברכה Tekef LeNetilat Yadaim Beracha & Ketef – Shoulder.

Parasha VaYigash – Talking Kind Words & Not Getting Angry

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Using Kind Words

It says in Parasha Vayigash:
*And Yehuda Approached, Let your servant please speak a word in your ears, for you are like Pharaoh…* (Bereshit 44:18) Yehuda approached Yosef to convince him to take him instead of Binyamin, his brother, as a slave. To convince him, he first tried to approach him in with kind words.

The best approach to convince a person is using kind words. Thus he used them first.

Segula Against Anger

Yehuda wanted to remain calm when talking to Yosef.

In this pasuk is an allusion to a Segula against anger – the pasuk recited at a time of anger to calm a person down – in some of the seemingly extra words – bi, na, al, ke. Bet, Yud, Nun, Alef, Alef, Lamed, Kaf – are the first letters of found in the Pasuk of Tehillim 119:9. (Ball Shem Tov).