Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh's blog
Posted in Va'etchanan on Aug 1st, 2012
The Holy Land– the greatest gift of all The opening verse of this week’s Torah portion begins Moses’ account of how he prayed to enter the land of Israel: “And I entreated God at that time, saying.” The Midrash[1] explains that when God fulfills a person’s prayer, it can be either by virtue of their [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 14th, 2011
In Hebrew, the word for Passover, Pesach (פסח), reads Peh Sach (פה סח), “a talking mouth.” Pesach celebrates freedom, first and foremost – freedom of speech.
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
Meditative prayer lifts us up and out of our mundane reality. The early chasidim would meditate an hour, pray an hour, then meditate an additional hour. What is meditation? Breaking through hard shells, peeling away soft shells, and eating the fruit. * The 10 blessings of Isaac to Jacob are the connective intermediate between the [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
There are many worlds. In the highest spiritual World of Emanation there is no consciousness other than that of God. * The Bible speaks of two “rods,” a “pleasant rod” and a “harmful rod.” The rod – a symbol of discipline – can be either pleasant or harmful. * In our “forgiveness” prayers we say [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
The 3 basic nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Spiritually, they correspond to acts of kindness, prayer, and Torah study. The Torah describes the most basic act of kindness as providing the poor with bread – carbohydrates. The service of prayer, compared to that of animal sacrifice, requires great strength – proteins. Generally speaking, saturated [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
Consummate service of God unites meditation (919), prayer (515), and action (415). They complement one another. Together, 1849 = 43^2. Meditation connects mind to heart. Prayer connects heart to mouth. Action connects mouth (in the Torah speaking is action) to hands. There is something special about hands. When lifted, they ascend above the head and [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
The Temple Mount’s Western Wall is called the Wailing Wall because people come to pray there and cry. In the future every tear will rejoice. In time of exile all gates to Heaven are locked except for the Gates of Tears. Our mother Rachel cries for her children in exile. Rachel = 2 times “tear.” [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
Today, the 10th of Tevet, is the 10th day of the 10th month (from Nisan, the beginning of months) and the 100th (102) day of the new year! 10 Tevet = 421, the 15th inspirational number (152 plus 142) and the value of the verse, “And Noah found favor in the eyes of God.” In [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
When we perform a mitzvah we hug God (and He hugs us) as it were. When we learn the sweet words of Torah we kiss. In prayer we cling. Isaac prayed for children in one corner of the room and Rebecca in another corner. As the prayers ascended they united and became one. Rebecca’s prayer [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
In the first account of creation the Torah describes man’s creation ex-nihilo. In the second account the Torah describes man’s formation. The Arizal says that the monkey is the intermediate between animal and man, an insight abstracting the evolutionary mindset of action. Thus we may say that in the World of Creation man comes from [...]