Category Archives: Judaism

It’s Good – Yes – It’s Good

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G-d is kind. He is our parent. The parent wants the best for the Child & Hash-m wants the best for the child. You are Hash-m’s child.

Though at times it is hard to believe everything is for the good – everything is for the good.

Nachum Ish Gamzu – used to say “Gam Zu Letova” – also this is for the good.

Rabbi Akiva used to say “Kol DeAvid Rachmana leTav Avid” All that the Merciful One (Hash-m) does He does for the best.”

What is the difference between the two statements? One is a higher level than the other. I forgot which is higher – but Nachum ish Gamzu was the Rebbe / Rabbi of Rabbi Akiva – so I would expect that Nachum’s statement was a higher level.

I looked it up and found this on a website:

Gam Zu Letova verses Letav Avdin: [1]

The Gemara [2] states that every person is to accustom himself to recite “Kol Mah Deavdin Min Shemaya Letav Avdin/Whatever is done from Heaven is done for the good”, as was seen with the story with Rebbe Akiva.  Elesewhere, the Gemara [3] states that Nachum Ish Gam Zu would say Gam Zu Letova. What is the difference between these two statements? The explanation is as follows: Every punishment or act of suffering has an aspect of Chesed [/ Kindness] in its root. A person who finds this Chesed ends up sweetening the Gevuros [/ Aspect of Strict Justice], and immediately turns the the severity to kindness. This was the level of Nachum Ish Gamzu. One however who does not know the aspect of Chesed contained within the severity is to say the previous statement.

[1] Keser Shem Tov 33 / [2] Brachos 60b / [3] Taanis 21a

We know the stories – once a King or Emperor asked a gift from countries he ruled. The Jews from Israel sent a box full of jewelry, gold and precious  gems. They sent Nachum Ish Gamzu to bring it to the Emperor. He slept at an Inn. The inn keeper – sneaked into his room and took the jewelry and filled the box with sand. When Nachum got to the king – he found that the treasure chest was filled with sand. Nachum said “Gam Zu LeTova” – also this is for the good. Someone told the king – perhaps this is the same sand that Avraham Avinu / Abraham used to fight the war against the 5 kings. The king had a country he was trying to conquer – he tried the sand. When thrown, the sand turned into arrows and he defeated his enemy. The King richly rewarded the Jews for the gift.

Once Rabbi Akiva wanted to sleep at a town. No one let him stay over their house. He said “All the merciful one does is for the good.” He slept in the forest. He had a candle to read, a donkey to travel, and a rooster to wake him. The candle blew out. The donkey was killed by a lion. The rooster was killed by an animal. He said “What Hash-m does is for the Good”. The next day he went to the village and found that it was ransacked and pillaged by brigands. The townspeople were taken captive.

If he had stayed there – he would have been taken captive as well.

Find the good in every situation.

 

The Message in the Hebrew Language

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Hebrew is the language of creation. With combinations of hebrew letters Hash-m created the world. Hebrew is the mother of all languages. For instance – the word fruit – comes from the Hebrew word “Perot”. The Hebrew letter Peh can also have a sound of “F”. In English – add an “H” after a “P” and it makes the “F” sound – similar to Hebrew.

It is interesting that a scientist developed a program that by saying a particular Hebrew letter – the sound pattern that it makes translated into a graph will form a similar image to the letter.

In another post we wrote of the origin and message of the English language – yes – it was created by Jewish people. Now we present the Message in the Hebrew language.

We learn in Talmud : Tractate Shabbat 104a

Alef beit means learn [elaf] the wisdom [bina] of the Torah.
Gimmel dalet means give to the poor [gemol dalim]. Why is the leg of the gimmel extended toward the dalet? Because it is the manner of one who bestows loving-kindness to pursue the poor.

It continues and tells us how a person is to act.

An Interesting Article that also discusses the topic is at a site for Stam – Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzot

Holy Soul – The Travels of a Soul

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A person is composed of a body and a soul.

I like to look at logic. What is the proof?

Let’s investigate. We can say a person has a body. Yes. We see it.

Proofs that a Soul Exists

What about a soul? We don’t see it. How can we prove we have one?

Ask a Doctor – What is the difference between a live body and a dead body? Both can be identical physically – but one is animate – the other not.

Torah says – “When a person passes away – their soul leaves the body.” Thus a proof to the soul. Meaning the only physical difference between a live body and a dead body is not physical – there is a spiritual element that animates it.

Past Life Regression Hypnosis – Proof of Existence of Soul

Another proof – a person can be hypnotized to be able to tell what happened in a past life. The facts spoken by the hypnotized in past life regression hypnosis can be confirmed by checking history. Many documented cases exist.

Reincarnation into Various Forms

In one life a soul can be in a male body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in a female – and vice versa. In one life a soul can be in a gentile body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in a Jewish body – and vice versa. In one life it can be in a healthy body and in the next it can be reincarnated into a non-healthy body (ie, autistic, etc) – and vice versa. In one life a soul can be in a human body and in the next life it can be reincarnated in an animal, plant or rock – and vice versa. A person can be Ashkenzi in one life and Sefardic in another life.

Why does the soul travel?

One of the 13 principles of fact of Judaism brought by the Rambam is – there is reward and punishment. If a person follows Torah – he is rewarded – if not the opposite. So in one life – if a person didn’t reach the mark – they might have to be reincarnated to do a tikun – reparation of the soul.

Extracting the Sparks of Holiness

Sparks of holiness are spread among the nations. A Jew can collect those sparks of holiness. Dina – the daughter of Jacob / Yaakov – was violated by Shekhem ben / son of Hamor. He was holding a spark of holiness of Rabbi Hanina Ben Teradion. She extracted it from him.

Why the Jewish Nation is Spread throughout the World

The Jewish nation is spread throughout the world to retrieve these sparks of holiness and to bring them to fruition. Once a rabbi saw a holy spark in a man. He was not using his time or efforts for spiritual growth. The rabbi invited him to take a drink at a cafe. By giving him a benefit – he was able to extract this soul of holiness.

The Captive woman

In last week’s parasha – Ki Tetze – it talks of the possibility – during a war – for a soldier in battle to marry a non-Jewish woman captive – which is not the case during times of peace. She is called the Eshet Yefat Toar – the woman of pretty appearance. She goes through a whole procedure to make him unattractive in his eyes. He waits a month and after conversion he can marry her. The Ohr haChaim says that the eshet yefat toar is a euphemism for a spark of holiness – hidden in this captive. The man by his act is able to extract that holy spark from her soul.

Why are some people handicapped or look like they do?

People are born with a soul that reflects the deeds of the individual in a previous life. Some people are born advantaged as a reward or incapacitated as a punishment for what they did in a previous life. Some autistic people are highly developed souls – that transgressed in a previous life – and came back handicapped to make a reparation for what they did in a past life.

I heard that the face of the person reflects the deeds of the person in a previous life.

Can a Soul be Born Evil?

A person has freedom of choice. He or she chooses good or evil. A person is born with certain tendencies. These tendencies can be used for good or the opposite. If a person is jealous – they can use it to bring down other people or to bring up themselves. Kinat Soferim Marbe Hochmah – the jealousy (of wisdom) of the scholars increased wisdom.

Is a soul Destined to Be Evil or Good?

Every thing is in Heaven’s hands except for fear of Heaven. Meaning that it is G-d that provides you with all but you decide about your acts to follow good or evil.

Stuck in the Mud – Call Out “Father”

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A day camp camping trip in Brooklyn. The boys spent a great day at a park. To their dismay – one of the campers was missing. Volunteers searched the area. In the dark of night – one volunteer heard a sweet, small voice of a boy about 5 years old calling “Totti! Totti!” (Totti means father in Yiddish)

He called for backup help. He found the boy, stuck in the mud, meters away from the ocean.

Baruck Hash-m / Thank G-d the boy was saved. It is possible being stuck in the mud helped him from a worse fate – being swept into the water.

We are sometimes stuck. Stuck in a dead end position or relationship. Some are stuck in the mud – the impurity of the world – like porn, improper relations, etc. They don’t know how to get out. The solution? Call out to Totti – Your Father in Heaven – Hash-m.

As it says in Tehillim / Psalms 121:5: Hash-m is your guardian – He is Your shadow of your right hand.

Why the Right hand? The right hand represents mercy. Have mercy on others & Hash-m will have mercy upon you. Even just calling out to Him – He will help.

A Tale of Two Tailors

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The King’s Banquet

Once upon a Time two Jewish tailors were having a hard time making a living in their town. Their solution : to go from town to town searching for tailoring jobs. They were traveling for several years. They arrived at a town and saw the governor of the town was troubled. They asked what is bothering you. He replied – he needed to prepare clothing for royal family for the king’s banquet and he could not find qualified tailors.

Family in Jail

“We could do the job!” they assured him. He tested them – finding that they were qualified. After about a year the king had his banquet and was very satisfied with the clothing. The king thanked the tailors and gave them a large sum of money. The queen whispered to the king – “should we tell them about the Jewish family is in prison because they did not pay their taxes?” The king mentioned it to them. They asked how much money do they owe. He said “300 Gold Rubles.”

Redeeming Captives / Pidyon Shevuim

One tailor said to the other – let’s do the mitzvah / commandment of redeeming captives. The other tailor replied “I have to bring money back to my family.” The tailor who suggested helping the family counted his money he earned and found he had just enough to redeem the family.

The family was so thankful. The praised him and blessed him.

The Rich gets Richer – the Poor Remains Poor

The tailors returned to their town. One with much money –  the other poor. The poor person came home and told his wife of the story. The man was forced to go from door to door to ask for money to support his family. The other tailor became wealthy.

Discovering a Concealed Blessing

Once a person wanted to give him a valuable coin. He asked him what will you give me in return? The poor man said I’ll give you a blessing. The man needed a blessing because he had an important meeting with wealthy people that evening for a business deal. That evening he noticed that the deal went unusually smoothly.

He thereafter – searched for this poor man before doing a business deal to receive a blessing.

The Power of Blessing

People found out his power of blessing. They started lining up to receive a blessing. The Baal Shem Tov – a great Rabbi – asked his students to ask the man to come to him to talk. At the meeting – he inquired what special deed he did that gave him this power of blessing. He said I don’t know. Finally the Baal Shem Tov told him – the fact that he redeemed the Jewish family – Hash-m gave him the power to bless others and have the prayers readily answered.

I heard this story from Moshe – with whom I learn Torah. He told me he heard it in French from Rabbi Avi Assouline.

We think that blessings are only those that give us material benefit – really there are many blessings for which we can be thankful – good health, children, healing, wisdom, the ability to give blessings, etc.

At times we receive blessings – but we take them for granted. Or someone does something good for us and thank the other profusely – but do not take into account that it was Hash-m who ordained that we should recieve the blessing. The person who helped us get a job or gave us that business deal – was an agent of Hash-m. So really we should first thank Hash-m then thank the person who was the agent.

Malki Tzedek / Shem made that mistake. We can learn from him to give the thanks in the proper order. First thank G-d – then thank the agent.

I think that thanking G-d is appropriate at a personal event – like a Brit / Bris / Circumcision, a Bar Mitzvah or a Wedding. I thought it might be proper for a person to take upon themselves a new mitzvah – as a thanks for G-d that he allowed us to have a new child, to marry off a child, etc.

Lamborghini Stuck in Traffic – What’s Stunting Your Growth?

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Driving ahead to the left of me was a Black Lamborghini Aventador. I was stuck in slow traffic. So was he. He got about 30 yards of space so he sped up and then quickly stopped. The idea of a fast sports car is prestige and speed. Well at least he had one – prestige. Regarding speed – he was going about my speed in my old van.

Superheros in Judaism – Superpowers of the Jewish Righteous

People are the same way. G-d endowed people with tremendous abilities. We can even achieve – Super-Human abilities like we see many true instances in the Torah.

Superpowers mentioned in Torah

Some superhuman acts brought in the Torah include invisibility – like Pinhas, being averse to effects of fire – like Avraham Avinu (in the fiery furnace), transporting from one place to another in an instant (kefitzat haDerech) – like Yaakov Avinu (Jacob), walking through walls, seeing the future – like prophets, seeing what is happening in another place, transforming things from one thing to another (like Yosef HaTzadik), transforming oneself into another being, freezing a person, levitation / flying (like Pinhas), levitating objects. (Perhaps I’ll make a new post on it with further details – further on).

So why don’t we achieve? We’re slowed by traffic.

Thank G-d for Free Choice

G-d made the world for a person to choose between good and evil. We say a blessing  in the Daily Morning Blessings for this gift – “Barukh… HaNoten laSechvi Bina leHavchin ben yom uben layla.” / Blessed are You, Hash-m,… Who gives the heart of man the Ability to choose between Day (ie, good) and Night (ie, evil).”

A person can achieve great heights in good or in evil. And with both he or she can achieve the powers above. Witchcraft, sorcery, talking to the dead and black magic are all real according to Torah. But they are all forbidden – because it is using forces for evil.

Whatever can be done through evil can also be done through powers of good. G-d made it that way for a person to be able to have freedom of choice. If a person could only let’s say become rich by doing good – people would only be good – not for good itself – but to become rich.

What’s Stunting Your Growth?

I was at a Bar Mitzvah party last night. I mentioned – that at 13 a boys starts putting on Tefillin / Phylacteries – the black crown on the head and arm sign that a Jewish man wears. At the age of 13 (according to the Hebrew Year) – a Jewish boy becomes responsible to do mitzvot like a man. A girl becomes responsible at 12 for woman’s mitzvot. (Why 12? A girl matures earlier than a boy.)

Knowing our Goal in Life – Self-Improvement through Torah

After a Jewish boy is born he is circumcised. One message of Bris Milah is that a person is not born perfect – it is our job in life to perfect ourselves. Another message is that a person should direct their passions towards those permitted by Torah.

Attaching Ourselves to the One Who said “Let There Be Light”

Tephillin – allude to a crown and attachment to Hash-m. A crown to remind the wearer that he is nobility – that he is a child of the King / Hash-m – making him a prince. Recognizing his high stature and responsibility teaches the Bar Mitzvah – that he has importance in this world to make it better. This gives him self-esteem & confidence to face, overcome challenges and build the world.  Attachment to Hash-m is one of the ways we establish a connection to Him and emulate Him.

So – anything that creates a detour to our relationship with G-d will stunt our growth – excessive involvement in – politics, gossip, watching videos, TV, sports, etc.

The Difference between Permitted & Forbidden pleasures in Judaism

Exercise is good – overdoing it is not. Eating is good – overdoing it is not. Judaism – is not averse to pleasure. In fact it encourages permitted pleasure. Usually – the pleasures of Judaism – are pleasures that build a society, build a family, build an individual – spiritually, physically & materially. If you look at many of the pleasures forbidden by Torah they are pleasures that do not have purpose. They are pleasure without purpose or Pleasure for only for the sake of pleasure.

Change Yourself – to Change the World

Once a rabbi wanted to change the world. He saw he could not. He said he will change his country. He was not successful. He said perhaps his province. No luck. His city. Nope. His family – no success. He finally decided to change himself. Eventually – he changes the whole world.

A good place to start to better oneself – for Gentiles is to learn about the 7 Noahide laws from Torah. For Jews – it is to learn the Shulchan Aruch & Pirkei Avot.

 

Why Judaism Treats Women Differently than Men?

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I was walking down the street looking for a man to complete the minyan (quorum of 10 Jewish men) needed to recite certain parts of prayer – like Kaddish / the Mourners prayer for the elevation of a soul that departed. I see a man – he’s Jewish. I ask him reluctantly – “Hi sir – can you help us to complete a minyan? Our synagogue is just down the street.” I might have added – someone needs to say Kaddish.

Gathering a Minyan

The woman next to him – apparently his wife – gives an upset look. She says something “You Orthodox Jews differentiate between men and woman!” She was right – but I didn’t have a chance to explain why the Torah differentiates between men and woman – they both walked away with some kind of righteous indignation.

Learning Judaism

I encounter many people like that. They have righteous indignation that I try to offer them a card to help them find meaning & spirituality – by making a connection with Hash-m. Or they outright reject it – apparently they have a fear of becoming closer to G-d. Perhaps I should give them a copy of “The Bible for the Clueless but Curious – Finally, A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Real People Nachum Braverman. I was perusing it just today. He’s also a co-author of The Death of Cupid. The author has an informal but eloquent – and meaningful righting
 I mean writing. Wow I think – it’s the first time I used this strikeout function. OK.

Why People are Reluctant to Follow Judaism

So I understand people – they are reluctant to believe or have a close connection with G-d. Why? Some because they feel it will cramp their lifestyle if they believe. If they believe in G-d – Jews will no longer be able to get a Big Mac. (Hamburger & Cheese is a No no.) Gentiles will no longer be able to eat live animals. (Sorry to mention repugnant things – but some people still do this.) Big loss? I don’t know. I did it. I gave up the peperoni pizza. Nowadays – you have a kosher alternative to almost anything. The Rambam / Maimonides brings 24 reasons – which cause people to avoid Teshuva – Repentance.

The Difference Between Judaism & Other Religions

Some don’t want to believe because they are turned off by religions – that killed millions and keep killing in the name of their religions –  and they stereotype from other religions to Judaism. I hear that – so investigate the difference. The Bible for the Clueless is a good starting point.

Weighing the Losses & the Gains of Judaism.

I was in both worlds – the secular & the observant world – and I find that the benefits greatly out weigh the sacrifices. No more shopping on Shabbat – but a much better relationship with the family. No more eating Big Macs – but a much more spiritually satisfying diet – a Kosher one. They say that non-Kosher food clouds the heart of a Jew. Thus a Jew who eats non-Kosher has a harder time understanding mitzvot than a Kosher eater.

Did I get off tangent? Sorry.

Thanks for Not Making me a Woman

All Jews – men & women – say Morning Blessings daily to thank G-d / Hash-m for all the Good He supplies daily. Like the ability to see, the ability to walk, the gift of clothing, etc. The man’s blessings of the Daily Morning blessings are slightly different than a woman’s. A Woman says “Blessed are You Hash-m … that You made me according to Your Will.” Men say “Blessed are You Hash-m … that You did not make me a Woman.”

Q & A on Woman’s Blessing

You should have 2 questions – one on the woman’s blessing and one on the man’s. The one on the woman’s blessing – “Does that mean that G-d didn’t make the man according to His Will?” One Answer: G-d made a woman more complete than a man – a man has to strive to perfect himself – a woman is closer to where G-d want’s a person to be initially. Apparently, she can grow and she can fall. We all have freedom of choice.

Q & A on Man’s Blessing

The question on the man’s blessing: “Why term it that I am thankful to not be a woman? Since a woman – is closer to the connection with G-d – she has less mitzvot. Mitzvot are  to help a person reach spirituality, spiritual perfection and a closeness to G-d. A man needs a Talit, Tephillin, Lulav, and other external items to become closer to Hash-m. Thus a man has more Mitzvot to become closer to G-d. Thus the man thanks G-d that he did not make him have less Mitzvot – like a woman.

G-d didn’t first create man & woman and say – this would be an appropriate law for them. G-d first created the Torah – then based upon the Torah – he found it appropriate to make a creature called a Man and one called a Woman.

The Error of Society – Not Appreciating Differences in People

I heard in some societies & public schools – they are erasing the gender differences. They say no more boys line or girls line – there is the A line or the B line. It is prohibited in the schools to say “Boy” or “Girl”.

To do what society is doing today – to force a man and a woman to ignore their differences will in the end create confusion and psychological problems. If I can’t appreciate my strengths and weaknesses – so I become like a marshmallow – devoid of form, and purpose and uniqueness. A rabbi said “If one tries to be like someone else – he is not that person and he is not himself – he becomes a non-entity.”

The Torah on the other-hand appreciates the difference between men & and women. It tells a man how he is to talk with his wife – with kindness. It teaches how a man should appreciate his wife – with words & gifts. It teaches how a woman should speak with her husband – with respect – like all people.

Each gender is given their particular laws that suit their psychological and role in the family. These laws bring out their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Say No to the Marshmallow Movement

Say No to being a Marshmallow!

 

 

Three Things to Do for a More Settled Mindset – Advice from the Yanuka

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When a Jew is in the womb of his mother – an angel is present teaching him the entire Torah. Before the baby exits – the angel strikes the person below the nose – creating an indentation and causing the baby to forget. Once the angel did not hit a certain child. The child was able to tell secrets of the the Torah. The parents brought the child to a great rabbi – He put the child in a dark room. In the morning the child forgot what he learned. They Called the child the Yanuka.

Today a great young rabbi in Israel – Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda – through his effort and toil in Torah – received an appellation of “the Yanuka” / הגאון הינוקא – due to his great Torah knowledge.

Asked about how one can have a more settled mindset – he replied:

One is to pray to Hash-m for a more settled mindset.

The second he said to read daily the Third chapter of Habakkuk.

The Third is that his or her mind should settled in terms of their “world to come.” When a person is settled about their “world to come” – doing the right in the eyes of man & G-d – it will help them to have a more settled mindset.

 

The Gift is in What You Make, Not What You Take

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A person wants a legacy. Here is my “Legacy Quote”

“The Gift is in What You Make, Not What You Take”

Why are people still in search of happiness? Apparently – many think when they Have a particular thing – they will be happy. I will be happy when I win Lotto, when I have a new car, When I have a new house, when I get married.

Choose Happiness

But Torah says – you choose your happiness. You choose to be happy. You make your happiness. Meaning Happiness is in our own control – not a certain state based upon our situation.

When we do good – we feel good.

Why – because we have an elevated soul. The soul has little interest in food or material pleasures in themselves. It is interested in the benefit derived from using the material to do good. Thus – two people can do the same act – one will become happy and the other not. One by using their new car to drive their parents home will have the satisfaction of doing a Mitzvah or good deed. The one who uses their car to commit a bank hoist – will not elevate their soul. He will probably sadden it and will experience sadness.

Make the Situation

You choose what you want to do with your time. You can be productive & build the world or not.

Make Yourself

You choose to get angry or not. You choose to smile or not. You choose to become a better person.

Make Good Deeds

You can make the world a better place. You can choose to save lives, to protect lives, to help others – according to Torah – or not.

Bout with Sadness

I had a bout with sadness when I was young. I tried to get over it by glossing over it. By occupying myself with the media and the like. Although I was distracted – I remained with the sadness. I was doing activities that did not elevate my soul. I thus remained in my sad state – even though I was doing the activities that people do to be happy.

The reason that I didn’t get out of it readily – I believe – was that I was involved in some activities that gladden the soul and others that sadden it. Slowly, I got involved in activities congruent with Torah, I purified myself and little by little the sadness went away.

The Proof of Happiness being Congruent with Doing Good

Why do people like a happy ending. The Good person wins over the wicked. Good triumphs over evil. Like I said – innate in us is a soul that wants good, wants to do good, wants people to do good, and is inspired by people who do good.

Get involved in activities that are congruent with Torah values & one who’s soul suffers will eventually rejoice.

Purity Counts – the Benefits of Cleansing the Mind

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We associate the color white with purity. In the Torah / 5 Books of Moses – the brother of Rivka and father of Rachel & Leah has a beautiful name – Lavan. Lavan means white in Hebrew. Although he had a beautiful name – he was wicked.

Wickedness of Lavan

We say it in the Passover Haggada – “Arami Oved Avi” – “An Aramean (Lavan) destroyed my father (Yaakov / Jacob).” Since Lavan tried to kill Yaakov – he is considered as if he actually did it. Thus we say “An Aramean destroyed my father.”  and not “An Aramean tried to kill my father.” For certain – if they attempt to do an evil act — it is considered as if they actually did it.

Misleading Purity

At times the world of marketing – leads us to believe that certain things are pure and certain things are right. It may be so – it may not.

What is Purity?

There is a difference between Holiness and Purity. Holiness is one who is careful to follow the laws of the Torah with precision. He is loved my man and Hash-m / G-d. A Holy person can be impure. A pure person – can be unholy.

Defining Purity

There are various kinds of purity – purity of the heart and purity of the body are two.

Purity of Heart

Purity of the heart – means a person is careful to guard their heart of hatred. They guard their eyes from seeing the prohibited – improper images – like those of idolatry, the face of wicked people, immodest people and images. They guard their mouths from speaking evil – they speak no evil about others – even if it is true (see laws of Lashon HaRa), they do not flatter, they have clean language. From their mouth emanates truth and kindness. They guard their ears from hearing bad about others. They keep their hearts far from grudges, animosity and controversy. They keep their mind pure as well.

Purity of the Body

A person’s body can become impure several ways. A person who touches an unclean animal – like a lizard, rodent or insect can become impure. A person who touches a dead body or who is in a building with a dead body or in a cemetery also contracts impurity. A menstruating woman or a man that has a seminal issue also contracts impurity. A person’s hands become impure when they sleep – thus we do netilat yadayim / washing of the hands in the morning.

To achieve purity of the heart one reads, learns and applies sefarim / Jewish books on Mussar / Jewish Ethics.

To achieve purity of the body one may immerse in a natural body of water, like a river, ocean, or mikve.

At times a person feels cloudy of mind. They feel depression. They may feel anger. Certain things that bring upon themselves impurity cause depression, anger and being unsettled.

The solution? Purify yourself.