Latest / Tehillim for the Soul with Dr. Miriam Menaker / Come Home: The Hidden Gift of Elul with Dr. Miriam Menaker

Transcript

Come Home: The Hidden Gift of Elul with Dr. Miriam Menaker · Tehillim for the Soul with Dr. Miriam Menaker

0:05
I like it very much to that Elul, that is the comparison of the king, but the king is not outside.
0:13
The king is in us.
0:16
This is the king.
0:17
The king is here, and we are this field that needs to grow and to be fertilized.
0:25
This is us.
0:26
We are the field, and Hashem is the king.
0:30
So that, is a very beautiful parallel here.
0:34
Month of Elul, that is the month of Rahamim, of mercy.
0:40
So, uh, the Elul, is the final month of the Jewish calendar, leads into the high holidays, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah.
0:54
It's a spiritual work prepares us to approach the Almighty on the days, uh, that shape the year ahead.
1:04
During Elul, God reveals his abundant kindness through the 13 attributes of mercy, preparing us for Rosh Hashanah, the great, great day of judgment.
1:20
Kabbalah and Hasidut describes this service as a relationship between Hashem and his people, an awakening from below that draws an awakening from above.
1:35
The kabbalistic speak of a divine signal that sounds throughout the months of Elul.
1:44
The signal is so intense that it reaches even the most distant souls, awakens them, and enables them to get back on track.
1:57
The awakening prepares us for a profound...
2:05
this awakening prepare...
2:08
One, Hebrew name is Nissim Ben Masuda.
2:13
This class is in the,, a speedy recovery of Nissim Basuda, that he is now at the hospital, and we want him to go back with his jokes into our community.
2:28
We send him all our good and healing energy.
2:34
Okay, I continue with Elul, that the Kabbalists speak of a divine signal, that sounds throughout the months of Elul.
2:42
The signal is so intense that it reaches even the most distant souls, awaken them, and enables them to get back on track.
2:54
This is referring to the sound of the shofar.
2:56
The, sound of the shofar throughout, the months of Elul, from Rosh Chodesh Elul and at the end of Yom Kippur.
3:09
This awakening prepares us for a profound encounter with our creator during the approaching Days of Awe.
3:18
In Elul, the shofar becomes a divine alarm clock.
3:24
A piercing call that steers the soul, redirects the heart, and reminds us that the path back to Hashem is open.
3:36
When we listen to the soul's call, we enter the Days of Awe with readiness, reverence, and awareness.
3:46
When we ignore it, the opportunity for renewal may pass us by.
3:53
Yet the alarm is powerful enough to reach even the most distant souls, awakening those who have fallen into the deepest spiritual slumber.
4:07
We can see and verify this, phenomenon, I will call phenomenon, because suddenly you see that in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the synagogue is with so many people something beyond natural, that everyone wants to come to the synagogue and listen to the shofar.
4:30
There is a parable.
4:31
The Alter Rebbe explains this phenomenon of Elul throughout the parallel of a king who leaves the palace and enters the field to meet his people.
4:44
He appears without royal guards, crown or robes, making himself Approachable to all.
4:55
With a gracious face and genuine delight, he welcome each person.
5:03
In Russia, in reality, happened that the tsar used to go to the field and leave his palace, get dressed like a simple man, and visit the people on the field.
5:18
This is a subtle inner voice, something deeply personal is happening now, and we are being invited to draw near.
5:31
The king is also within us, because each person has a divine soul whose essence contains a spark of God himself.
5:44
Elul calls us to reconnect with that deepest point that we have inside us, so the king is inside us, and that is the beauty of, of parable.
5:55
We are like a field, because we can grow.
6:00
In the field, you grow plants, you grow animals.
6:04
So here is the field.
6:06
By plowing the heart, planting seeds of tzedakah and good deeds, and watering them with Torah study, and contemplation, we cultivate lasting spirituals growth.
6:25
Good morning, Natalie.
6:26
I am talking about the months of Elul.
6:30
That Elul has- a special energy.
6:34
There is a sound in Elul, the sound of the shofar that pierce every heart of every Jew.
6:44
We are talking about a parable of a king, that descend to the field, where the people are working, in order to know about their life, to give them support, and to know what are their needs Elul invite us to look inward, recognize Hashem presence, and return to Him through Teshuvah.
7:10
We trust that mistake can be repaired, and that His guidance can lead us forward.
7:19
The, another name of the month of Elul is the month of Teshuvah, the month of returning.
7:27
In the parable, the king's smile reveals his love for every person, and his desire to heal, support, and guide us through the struggles of this world.
7:44
Hashem is our father, Avinu Malkeinu, rejoicing when we care for one another, gather to study Torah, perform its vote, and contemplate the wondrous work He created for us.
8:01
When we see the wonders of the world, when we see the mountains, the water falling, all the, greatness that is up, out there, so that we recognize the greatness of Hashem.
8:19
These inspirations, helps us enter the new year with renewed purpose, leaving the past behind and embracing hope for a prosperous year in communion with Hashem, our families, friends, and the wider world.
8:41
Teshuvah, reunites the lower Hey with the ineffable name, the Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey.
8:45
For one another and for God, we bring Teshuvah into practice, and we create Shalom.
8:55
We make Shalom BaOlam.
8:57
That is the function of Teshuvah.
9:00
Teshuvah is not only repentance, like is translated.
9:05
Teshuvah is returning back home.
9:08
That is what is Teshuvah, returning to,, the source that is Hashem.
9:13
He is our source.
9:15
He is our creator.
9:16
He is our sustainer.
9:18
Like- you remember in the Tehillim that we read, the 23rd about Hashem is my shepherd.
9:25
So this is what it is.
9:27
Hashem is our shepherd, and He only wants us not to punish, know, and if something bad happen through our life, it's only for us To return, for us to clean, for...
9:44
That is the reason of it, but never is to punish us.
9:50
Hashem is our shepherd.
9:53
And this is the months of Elul, so it's a month of wakening up.
9:59
It's a month where we have an alarm clock, and this alarm clock is telling us we have in the past year, our past mistake, we leave behind us.
10:11
It's not something that we have to take with us to the new year.
10:16
No.
10:17
For the new year, we are opening a new page.
10:21
We are opening a new opportunities.
10:25
Or whatever thing that we think that is bad threats that we have, they are not us.
10:32
We are, godly soul, The negativity that we have is not you, is not me.
10:41
This is only a, a dress, a cover.
10:46
No who we are.
10:48
So that is the, is a very hoping and enlightening moment.
10:54
And not only a month where we have to make a list of our mistake.
11:00
No.
11:00
It's a month that we have to leave those mistake behind, and start a new life, like a newborn.
11:10
So that is what I have to say about Elul.
11:14
I would like to hear from you, Elisabeta, if you want to...
11:19
if you have any questions.
11:21
Not really.
11:22
Yeah, I always loved the month of Elul.
11:25
It's, uh- Ah it's, uh, it's a month where I, I really feel more connected to Hashem and, I ask for, you know, things and, and I, that I wish, and I, I feel like He's really listening.
11:40
And I pray more and I try to prepare for the holidays.
11:46
And it's, it's a month that, um, it's, it, it's quite inspiring and, um, yeah, I appreciate all the insights that you- you're describing.
11:56
Yes.
11:56
Thank you.
11:58
Yes.
11:58
I, I want to go a little deeper here in, in the meditation.
12:02
I used Tashuv Hey.
12:05
That also if you read current is Teshuva.
12:10
But if you is, uh, separate the Hey, so you have Tashuv Hey.
12:15
Tashuv is going back to the Hey.
12:19
The letter of the Tetragrammaton are Yud Hey Vav Hey.
12:25
But the Yud Hey Vav always is together, represent all the es- uh, spiritual world.
12:34
The Hey, the lower Hey, this one- Represent the physical world.
12:41
We live in a world where there is a separation between the high spiritual world, the good spiritual world, the holy spiritual world, and, and the hay, the physical, demanding live, the material place where we live.
13:02
We are, we Uh, that is separated.
13:06
And the essence of everything in Judaism is to unite.
13:12
The same way that we have the unity of Echad, that is the unity represented in husband and wife, the unity representing between all of us, that if we keep united...
13:27
In French they said that on the unity there is the strength.
13:33
If we are united, if Israel politics is united, and there is no separation between them, so that create the, a fortress and, we are undestroyable.
13:48
Nothing can destroy Am Israel.
13:52
Is...
13:54
Dr.
13:54
Yoon, good morning.
13:56
So I would like to hear Hannah.
14:00
Hannah Perlow, if you want to add something Today is Elul 12, is, my birthday, my conversion an- anniversary seven years ago, and, my marriage under the chuppah with Jordan seven years ago.
14:21
Oh, mazel tov.
14:22
Todah, todah.
14:22
Thank you.
14:23
So today is a very special day.
14:25
Very special.
14:26
For you.
14:26
I got, uh, roses yesterday- when it started, and we are saying Tehillim to our friend Claude, and just keeping him in mind, but with a very positive and light soul, very happy with everything that the journey that I've been in, that I am so appreciative.
14:48
Thank you so much, Miryam.
14:51
This was beautiful.
14:51
Elul, I just love it.
14:53
I just love it.
14:54
The King is in the field, and we have to rejoice and just, um, listen to the shofar.
14:59
It's a, an honor to listen it every day, is,, it's a treat.
15:03
Thank you so much.
15:05
Yes, it is.
15:06
Emunah tovah.
15:10
Do you wanna talk a little bit more about what the word Elul stands for?
15:14
I've That comes up, and I can't say that I- Yes.
15:19
Yes.
15:19
Elul i- is start with le- letter aleph, and one of the expression is, eh,«Ani Le-dodi Ve-dodi Li» So ani is, start with the aleph.
15:33
That is the aleph of Elul.
15:36
Le is lamed.
15:36
Le, le means with.
15:40
Dodi is my friend, of my beloved.
15:43
Here it is my beloved.
15:45
And my beloved is with me.
15:48
So this is the expression of the love between Hashem and, Israel.
15:54
We are like two, two amorous, two lovely, friends, two lovely couple.
16:02
This is who we are, and this is coming from Shira Shirim, from Song of Song.
16:09
And this is one of the acronym of Elul, and is a very beautiful acronym.
16:16
In a more deep way, more a spiritual way, is a, uh In order to have an awakening from above, there is must be an awakening from below.
16:31
And in the month of Elul is the awakening from, uh, below.
16:36
Our awakening is That's what I said, that is like a alarm clock.
16:41
We awake.
16:43
We And we e- elevate our pleads and, uh, and our prayer to Hashem.
16:50
Then in Rosh Hashanah, in Yom Kippur, Hashem respond to us.
16:56
This is an awakening from above to below.
17:00
And the months of Rosh Hashanah, or the holy day of Rosh Hashanah, is a holy day of judgment.
17:08
It's a day, two days of judgment.
17:12
And in there, also we have, we crown the king.
17:17
Uh, there is, uh, we are, are going to next week to speak a little bit more about Rosh Hashanah, and is the crown of the king.
17:27
Because all the kings is Hashem.
17:29
He is the king of all the kings.
17:32
And he is the king in this world of of Malchut.
17:39
Hashem d- doesn't want to stay in above in heavens with his host of angels.
17:46
He wants to be here down in this world.
17:50
But he cannot be down in this world when the world is full of hate and war and, uh, it, one person damage the other.
18:01
So Hashem separates from a world that is not suitable.- He send us, Am Yisrael, in order to create a change in the world And in the future when Moshiah will come, it will be for the whole habitants of the world.
18:23
So that is, acronym of Anile do di ve do di li, an awakening from below or Itro rerut mile tata to Itro rerut mile, mm, Allah.
18:34
That is the...
18:35
Is written in, in Ha- not in Hasidut,, in Kabbalah, in the Zohar.
18:42
So that, that is from where the name of a loot come from Quick question what is the numerical value of Elul?
18:52
Eh, let's, let's work.
18:54
Elul is alef, one.
18:57
Lamed is, uh, 30, 31.
19:01
Elul.
19:01
Vav is six, correct?
19:05
Okay.
19:06
And, uh, it, it is 37.
19:10
37- And another 30 Elul with fourth, another 30.
19:14
Elul, another 30 at the end.
19:16
Correct?
19:17
67, right.
19:19
So that will be the, uh, the, the value of the gematria.
19:24
In total will be s- uh, how much?
19:27
67.
19:28
67.
19:30
I don't know- 67 the gematria of 67.
19:33
But, uh- Okay.
19:33
I was just curious, you know.
19:35
I'm always trying- Yes, yeah.
19:36
I know that you love gematria.
19:37
What is the gematria of seven, uh, if you don't mind?
19:40
Just, like, is it- Seven is purity.
19:43
Purity.
19:43
Seven is the seven days of the week.
19:46
Correct?
19:48
And, and, uh- And seven seven also at the level of, of the days is the day of Shabbat.
19:58
Correct?
19:58
Because Shabbat is the seven days, uh, seventh day of the week.
20:03
So that...
20:04
And Shabbat, there is an especial energy.
20:08
And as you remember, the, we have a eighth day, and the nine.
20:14
So the eight is, is our, a transcendence above the regular seven days of the week, and the nine is the Emet, that when you reach that completion, you reach the level of Emet because Emet is also nine.
20:32
Six and seven is 13- I just- no?
20:34
And it's the 13 attributes, right?
20:35
Uh, yes.
20:36
And also six and seven, you're right, is six is the six days of the week, and seven is the seventh day of the week.
20:43
Which it makes 13, which is the 13 attributes, right?
20:47
That's correct.
20:48
Mm.
20:49
Six, six and seven is 13.
20:50
There's always a correlation.
20:52
Okay, perfect.
20:53
It is, uh...
20:54
You, you went ahead.
20:56
Kol Hakavod.
20:56
I'm very happy.
20:59
And- This is the 13 attributes of, of mercy that we see- Right.
21:03
Yeah this month.
21:04
And the 13 is 12, that is the 12 tribe, and one that is Hashem.
21:11
Hashem is with us, with the 12 tribes, 12 sons of, of Yaakov with the only one that is Hashem.
21:20
So that is also could be the name 13.
21:23
What Hashem wants, that we imitate Him in His 13 attributes of mercy When there is a, a display of those attributes in us, so that brings completely peace, complete healing to everyone, every every soul yoon, my dear Dr.
21:44
Yoon Thank you.
21:47
This was beautiful, and then this is a, time of reflection, and, uh, it's, uh...
21:53
E- every year, it's, it's...
21:56
can tell the difference.
21:57
And I just found ac- actually 67 is also, uh, equal to Binah, uh, understanding.
22:05
I just found it, uh, so that's another one.
22:07
Yes.
22:08
Uh, yes, because Nun is 50.
22:11
Yeah.
22:12
67.
22:12
That's right.
22:14
Natalie, what do you have to say?
22:18
Well, I'm sorry I missed most of this.
22:20
I'm glad you're gonna send out your notes.
22:23
I, uh, since last year, have been looking forward to El- I mean, to...
22:29
Oh, before I say that, I wanna just say happy all of your anniversaries, Chana.
22:34
What a wonderful day.
22:36
Um, I, I have been doing the, um, 60 Days book, and I, I...
22:43
For the last couple of months I've been excited that Elul was coming.
22:47
'Cause as you said, instead of looking back on, on what's been...
22:53
On negativity, the book during Elul, it's a self-introspection every day, and it's trying to help you find your...
23:04
I, I, and I'm feeling like I'm, it's helping find my connection with Hashem and, and the whole thought of Hashem being in the field and, and the connection with Hashem.
23:14
And it's, it's so much introspection, but it's introspection that is looking at what positive attributes you have or what positive attributes you're striving for.
23:27
The, work, the daily exercises in the workbook have been, um, it's something that I've really just enjoyed doing.
23:36
So this is, I think this is turning into being my favorite month of the year,'cause it's, it's just a wonderful month for introspection and growth.
23:45
So thank you for shedding the extra light on it.
23:49
Anita.
23:53
Well, I think like everybody else, this is, um, a favorite month because for me, it gives me an opportunity to look back at, uh, both the, the positive and the negative, and, um, it helps me reflect on w- what went wrong and how, how I could change it and what went right and how I can deepen it.
24:20
A- And I, I, I don't, I don't know why, but I really, um, I really do believe that, that this is a month that we are, if we are willing, we are able to get closer to Hashem.
24:38
And, um, that's, that's, uh, that's really powerful for me.
24:44
So thank you for f- for focusing on this today.
24:49
I really appreciate it, and it's so good to be back.
24:52
It was good to be away.
24:54
I loved every moment.
24:56
But, uh, it's very good to be back.
24:58
Thank you.
24:59
Any, any other comment?
25:03
Any other comment of the group?
25:05
No?
25:06
Well, 13 is also bar mitzvah, right?
25:09
Correct.
25:09
So it's when, you know, the child becomes an adult, so, it's a transformation.
25:14
Yes.
25:15
Yes, exactly.
25:17
And so this is...
25:17
So the Lul can also be seen as, uh, our own transformation- Transformation to become a better person, to- Yes.
25:25
Yes Just reflections.
25:27
Yes, exactly.
25:28
Exactly.
25:29
That is the, uh, our constant, uh, strive for living.
25:35
Uh, we, uh, in, naturally every human being wants to have a better life and wants to improve.
25:42
So here, what is wonderful about the Torah, that Torah give us so many guidelines in order to be the best of we can be in this world.
25:56
That, that is the point of the Torah, is g- given...
26:00
Everything is there.
26:03
And when we brings the wisdom Hashem, because Torah is the wisdom Hashem.
26:10
That is the food of our soul.
26:13
That is the wisdom of Hashem.
26:16
And this is the Torah.
26:17
Other way, we bring up, through the mitzvot, the things that are material and physical, we elevate them through the mitzvot.
26:28
When you do a mitzvah, you are elevating something material.
26:32
Uh, when you go and visit a, a sick person, you also are elevating and giving to that person the healing that, this person need.
26:44
All the Tehillim that now you, I'm sure that you are going to say for, for Nissim Ben Me- Mesuda What?
26:55
All detailing that we are going to recede from on now until that he will be recovered completely and come back again to spend with us in Rosh Hashanah, to be there in the shul.
27:09
So that is a elevation of whole...
27:13
He's a spark of holiness that every one of us has.
27:17
I like it very much to that Elul, that is the comparison of the king, but the king is not outside.
27:25
The king is in us.
27:28
This is the king.
27:30
The king is here, and we are the, this field that needs to grow and to be fertilized.
27:39
This is us.
27:40
We are the field, and Hashem is the king.
27:43
So that, that i- in another s- synonym that I think that is a very beautiful parallel here.
27:50
Okay, so let's go to the, meditation.
27:55
So the meditation that I use is Tashuve, because I think this is the main essence of Elul, l- to go back, to reunite again with our creator.
28:09
So we close our eyes, and we breathe to relax We breathe.
28:23
We inhale all the words that were pronounced today, and they stay for a few seconds in our bodies.
28:36
And then we exhale, a long exhale to remove all the negativities that we may experience in life And now we see ourself at the center of a Magen David, a beautiful color gold Magen David with the colors of the sun that warms up and give lives to the planet Earth And in front of us appear another Magen David.
29:19
In this Magen David are written the words Tet, Shin, Vav, Bet, and a little bit separate, the letter Hey.
29:31
And our function today is to unite the Tashuf with the Hey, and c- create a completely unity.
29:43
That will be the unity of the Yud, Hey, Vav with the last Hey.
29:50
And everything will go in harmony.
29:52
The harmony of the body and the soul.
29:57
The harmony between us as the kallah, as the bride, and Hashem as the groom.
30:09
This is the union between the groom and between the bride.
30:14
And I remember that for Hannah is her anniversary.
30:20
So is a very special day of reu- reunion between two souls.
30:26
The souls of her husband and the soul of Hannah are completely united, and they c- will keep united for the rest of their existence and their life in the life of the world to come And this is us.
30:48
We are here, and we are ready.
30:52
We are ready to start a new year, a year that will bring us Moshiach, will bring us teshuva, will bring us a year of peace.
31:06
No more wars, no more troubles, no more hates.
31:11
And the world will change and transform in a world of love.
31:17
And what is today a, a lethal tools, lethal weapons, they will turn in tools to grow our land, to grow the world.
31:32
And, and will come from their, uh, the beautiful aroma of beautiful flowers that will impregnate the whole world with peace, with love, with sharing.
31:49
There will more need one dominating the other.
31:53
Everyone will share their own abilities and their own capacity, and we'll have a world of harmony, and that is the time for Moshiach.
32:06
And here are Malach Metatron, Malach Sandalphon, and Moshiach himself.
32:13
They are here to support this meditation and to help us that this final wish, this final completion in Shalom will come true very soon, speedily in our times.
32:33
Amen ve Amen.