Author Archives: Orit Esther Riter

BS’D

The process that the soul must go through in this world to attach itself to Hashem is laden with struggles.  As the soul ascends from level to level in its attempt to complete its mission, it will experience downfalls.  This should be expected and planned for.  There is no need to despair since this is part and parcel of its refinement process.

Principally speaking, these spiritual falls are intended to increase our drive to come closer to Hashem and build our relationship.  As part of the effort to regain attachment, we begin doing teshuva and take inventory of our spiritual standing.   Thus, Rebbe Nachman ztk’l teaches this is a descent for the purpose of an ascent.

From here we conclude a remarkable lesson: this lowly world provides our soul with the precise environment it needs to battle, overcome and B’H elevate itself to those levels that it would not be able to attain if stayed on high.  This world is ‘boot camp’ for the soul where we experience countless ups and downs so that we may increase our ratzon (intense desire) and determination to attach ourselves to higher and higher spiritual levels.

Living life with the knowledge that we will periodically receive a ‘wake-up’ call through those challenges so that we do not miss ‘our mark’ is heartening to say the least.  The goal is to keep reminding ourselves that this is what life is all about and not to get sidetracked with other thoughts and goals in mind.

BS’D

Last week, we left off and addressed the question on how the soul is satisfied by worldly delights being that it is completely spiritual.  We concluded that it is nourished by the G-dly essence in each materialistic object which temporarily consoles it until it completes its mission in this world and returns ‘home’.

Yet, in order to ensure that we have free will, Hashem also placed holy sparks in those things that are forbidden and go against His will.  In those instances where we c’v indulge in forbidden acts and behaviors, we supply our soul with the husks of these holy sparks.  They are fundamentally impure being that they come from the other side (Sitra Achra), which causes the soul to forget about Hashem and increases the distance between them.

However, when we involve ourselves in the material world and use it to fulfill Hashem’s will, we provide our soul with holy nourishment enabling it to attach itself to Him.  Therefore, we should not look to detach ourselves from the world around us but partake in physicality in order to benefit the soul.

With that being said, there is a subtle line that when crossed we run the risk of excessive involvement with materialism which may lead us to get caught up with the physical pleasure associated with it. This comes as a result of the sin of Adam HaRishon which caused forces of impurity to enter into every physical item as well.  We may become distracted by the physical delight and thus damage Hashem’s light.

The way to ensure that this does not occur is to do everything with as much sanctity as possible.  Moderate our activities and infuse them with as much spiritual intent as possible.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Menachem ben Pesya amongst all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen!

BS’D

When the soul departs from the world above and descends into a person’s body it immediately senses the great distance from the warmth and love of Hashem.  However with this emptiness comes a strong yearning to reunite to Him; the greater the longing the stronger its determination to rejoin.

The greatest emptiness the soul experiences is how much it needs Hashem.  It is left with no meaning since it has essentially been cut off from the Divine light. With every mitzvah though the soul is cared for and ‘fed the food’ it so desperately seeks, bonding with Hashem and being enveloped by His light.  A mitzvah brings comfort to the soul and eases its burning desire to ‘feel’ Borei Olam.

If that is the case then the big question that needs to be addressed is how can the soul be satisfied by worldly material pleasures if it seeks only Hashem?  The profound answer to this common question is that embedded in all materialistic objects are holy G-dly sparks (nitzotzot kedusha) that enables them to exist. The Ba’al Shem Tov HaKadosh teaches that Hashem is found in everything and everything has Hashem in it.  Therefore, within the materialistic existence there is a glimmer of G-dliness.

It is to this ray of Divine light that the soul is drawn and derives pleasure from even in the material world.  In effect, it is pacified with any bit of Hashem’s essence that it can get a hold of as it patiently awaits to complete its mission in this world and return back to the Heavens above. Gevaldig vort!

Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of the four soldiers that were injured on the Syrian border yesterday.  Their names are: Ohad ben Chana, Michael ben Svetlana, Tamir Moshe ben Chava, and the most seriously injured Alon ben Orli. May Hashem send a complete healing for all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen! 

There is a link below to perek 130 to make it easier for us to daven for those in need.  Click here to say tehillim perek 130

BS’D

Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is dedicated l’iluy nishmat Leibel ben Ya’akov.  May his neshama bask in the Divine radiance amongst all of the tzaddikim who have departed from this world, Amen.

To sponsor a Daily Dose emuna lesson in someone’s zechut, please contact OritRiter@gmail.com.

The Rebbe of Kotzk said:  “If a person is truly aware that Hashem created the world, then all earthly things appear to be of negligible value.  If one were truly convinced of the uniqueness of his mission in life his behavior would be radically different and he would put great effort into discovering that mission and fulfilling it.  The extent of our efforts to accumulate earthly things indicates the value we ascribe to materialism.  The very first words of the Torah hint at the basis for a spiritual life, “And the earth (and everything associated with it i.e. material goals) was barren and desolate.” (Bereishis 1:2)  From the onset of the Torah we are already being taught what our goals in life should be – to attach our soul to Hashem; anything else is meaningless and empty.

In the coming days we shall delve into the idea of synchronizing our will with Hashem’s will so that we may eternally bound ourselves to Him.  Pursuit of this lofty goal essentially nourishes our soul and contributes to a healthy well-rounded life enveloped in meaning and happiness.  Fundamentally, this is the basis of performing all mitzvot.

When the soul descends to this world it is placed in a coarse materialistic package called the body.  This environment creates a thick barrier which obstructs the soul from being able to sense attachment to Hashem.  Basically you can call the body a spiritual sewer, yet it is in this most challenging space that the soul can fulfill the goal of attaching itself to doing Hashem’s will through free-will.

Hashem ‘craves’ for us (a.k.a. the soul) to become one with Him.  The success in doing so is solely dependent on our will.  Our will is developed through recognizing and strengthening our deep love for Him; the more we love Hashem the more we will desire to become one with Him.