A thought for the month of freedom...

How can I,

As me,

Be,

Free?

Territorial Concessions of the Inner Self

Have you ever been to the 'West Bank' (Yehuda & Shomron) ?
It is magical. Clean air surrounds rolling hills which house hundreds of beautiful warm & vibrant communities. Some people are scared to go to the West Bank, however, most who visit for the first time, immediately fall in love with the place. The land speaks to them. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it screams. It demands, it expects them to be doing something more.

Calling the people who live there 'settlers' is a bit insulting, they are far from settled, far from content. The West Bank is a place reminiscent of ancient days, it is a revival of spirit, faith & connection, it is deeply rooted in the heart of the Jewish People.

And now, Kedima wants to give it all away…

You want to stop them?

Realise this!

We all have an inner West Bank.

Just like the real West Bank, it is not always easy to get there, the roads are bumpy and poorly lit, the path is not clearly paved out (because everyone is different right?).
It is a place of clean air (clarity) & rolling hills (experience).

It is a magical creative space. A place that grows from faith, and draws out faith.

It is our infinite light, our quest for truth, our passions, our extreme feelings and desires (holy of course).

It is our true inner self.

But, so many people are scared to access that part of themselves, why? Because, when they travel there, something demands them (you, me, us) to change!

So what’s their ‘defensive’ reaction?
KEDIMA!
Run for your life!
Deny it!
Give it away!

translation:

Too many people are scared to discover their inate desire to become 'into it' (being inspired & switched on to their neshama's needs).

Just like the west bank,each person has unlimited potential for expansion & development. And beacuse it is unlimited and infinte, there is no end, once the person is honest and admits the truth...

So, instead, they take the 'safer' more 'secure' option, of establishing 'defined borders' - a bare minimal connection to Judaism.

While we may not be able to directly influence what happens in the physical land of Israel, we can affect what happens inside of our selves.

Let us rise to the challenge, and not make any of our own inner territorial concessions.

Let us not be afraid to take a ride into our inner West Bank.

Let us listen to it, as it speak the truth to us, and then, make some real change in our lives.

Remember though, in the Wild West Bank, there is no room for fakers!

keep on climbing, to another hill.

Purim's over. Now its time to begin.
Its like when you leave Yeshivah, you can finally start learning.

You see, its easy to be happy on Purim (as long as you've had some sleep). You wear a mask, a costume, and you get drunk. There is a problem, its not really you. Or is it you, but the only way you can accsess that part of you is by drinking?

What about today? You have your old skin back on. You have to go back to work.
Can you sing the same songs?
Can you laugh and smile like a childrens party clown?
Can you enjoy giving charity?
Can you hand out presents to 100 friends without thinking twice?

YES!

but, its a challenge.

So, the real Purim starts today.

Happy Purim everyone.

Teffilin at Monash University

------------------------------------------------
Just a little thaught I read from Rabbi Ginsberg.

Out of all the things we can learn from the Golden Calf, one stands out more than anything. Even if we sin, even if we sin the worst possible sin in the entire world. We can always, always do Teshuvah. In fact, we can use the sin to reunite with the very thing we just disconnected from, and then go a little deeper.

What was Haman thinking?

Haman, our enemy was a smart man. He knew that within G-d’s constructed order of expression (seder Hishtalshelus) he could never cause any harm to the Jews. Why? Because within that expression, the Jews always end up best.

Within seder Hishtalshelus G-d decided to contract his light, in order to create and relate to the world. In His contraction, there is an order, a system. The system dictates that G-d bestows kindness to the Jewish people. The systems does not allow for evil villains to naturally persecute the Jewish people.

So Haman had to act beyond the system, not to bend or change the rules, but he had to bypass them altogether.

Beyond the system, beyond (or before) the contraction of G-ds light, is a reality where essentially, everything is nothing - in relation to G-d. It is a place where light and darkness are one in the same. Nothing is more or less important. There are no rules, intellect is not taken into account.

So, Haman thought to himself, if he wants to act against the Jewish people, he will have to accsess a reality, where they are not significant to G-d.

This is where Purim fits in. Purim comes from the word ‘pur’ which means lot, or gamble.
When does someone use a ‘lot’ or ‘pur’ to make a decision? Only when they can’t make that decision by using their own intellect or emotion.

Using a lot is tapping into a place beyond rules, beyond intellect.And so, Haman threw a dice, cast some lots, and they landed on the 13th of Adar, he bypassed intellect and order, and tried to issue a decree against the Jews…

Purim?

JDL in Melbourne

No, I can't take credit for this graffitti that I found at a Melbourne Train Station... I did really enjoy seeing it though. I smell a revolution.

GOOD SHABBOS!

Moish & Jade's L'Chaim!

Click the link to see some photos I posted from the L'chaim!

http://mayanotalumni.blogspot.com/2006/03/moshe-ekmans-lchaim.html

Rushing and then some peace...

What a rush, to get out of bed, make some lunch get to shul, and head to uni to get in time, its a challenge.
Someone else (a goy prehaps) doesn't need as much time. They don't need to wash negel vasser, daven, they can buy food at uni itself...

A Yid on the other hand is lucky, we have a process, everything is set in an order, we appreciate the small things. We take nothing for granted, especially time...

So, I drove to uni today, and took along a blanket and pillow. Right near my uni is the beautiful Fitzroy Gradens, during my lunch break, I lay out under some trees, and had the best sleep ever.

Here is the sky I was looking up at (in black and white)