Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh's blog
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 8th, 2011
The two elements of fire and water unite in the Temple. The two elements of air and earth unite in the Land of Israel. In the Temple we offer sacrifices to God. The sacrifices ascend in flame on the altar. The Torah calls the sacrifices “fires.” When offering a sacrifice we experience ourselves burning up [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 18th, 2011
In the ten-rung ladder of spiritual growth outlined by Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, three consecutive rungs are: “Cleanliness brings one to purity, purity brings one to chastity (i.e., abstinence from overindulging in physical pleasures).” These three attributes correspond to the three “garments” of the soul: thought, speech, and action (but not in that order), as well [...]
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
In a cultivated acre of 50 palms, 1 is male and 49 are female. Sounds like the 50 days of counting the Omer. In the Torah, the lulav (palm frond) is called the palm (of the hand) of the palm (tree). In English they are the same word. Holding a lulav is a sign of [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
The 4th quantum number, spin, is essentially non-local, and that’s where entanglement takes place. You’re either spin-up or spin-down, dance up or dance down, shake your lulav up or shake it down. Torah dance therapy is the mitzvah of shaking the lulav on Sukot. Great tzadikim would dance all around the room while shaking the [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
In Kabbalah, the left line is “short” at the bottom but “sweet” at the top – short and sweet. “Short,” 390 = 15 times 26. “Sweet” = 546 = 21 times 26. Each is a product of two of God’s Names. The month of Tishrei is the Jewish “honeymoon.” Until the end of Sukot we [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
“All of Israel can sit in one sukah.” All sukahs are connected. Each sukah is a cell, the cells unite to become one living, joyful organism. On Rosh Hashanah we return to God in thought, Yom Kippur in word, and Sukot in deed. In preparation for the mitzvot of Sukot we give charity. Charity, tzedakah, [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
Sukot is “the time of our joy” – our joy in God and God’s joy in us. God loves all of His creation but He calls Himself “the God of Israel.” Joy is the experience of mother – “the mother of children is happy.” A mother nurtures her children, so joy nurtures love, fear, and [...]
Posted in Tweets from the year 5771 on Feb 24th, 2011
When preparing a mitzvah, e.g., building a sukah, we bless God in our heart. When performing the mitzvah, we bless God with our mouth. Sitting in a sukah is sitting in the aura of “mother.” On the High Holidays we honor our father in awe, on Sukot we honor our mother in joy. On Sukot [...]