Author Archives: Orit Esther Riter

BS’D

There is a well-known statement attributed to R’ Yisrael Salanter ztk’l.

He once said: “When I was young, I wanted to change the world. Then I realized that I could not change the world. And so I thought, maybe I will change my nation. Then I realized that I could not change my nation. And so I thought, maybe I will change my village. Then I realized that I could not change my village. And so I thought, maybe I will change my family. Then I realized that I could not change my family. And so I thought, maybe I will change myself. Then I realized, if I would change myself, this would change my family. And if I would change my family, this would change my village. And if I would change my village, this would change my nation. And if I would change my nation, I would change the world.”

Torah study is a personalized experience in that it ‘talks’ to every individual differently so that we each hear the wisdom that our soul needs to receive. Torah wisdom conveys to us a custom-made message.  Therefore, we are required to elevate our minds and hearts to internalize our specific calling.  No two people learn the same Torah just as we learn a ‘different’ Torah at various stages in our lives depending on the message we need to ‘hear’.

We must be prepared to change ourselves rather than erroneously expect that others do.  Torah is our physician who gives us each a ‘prescription’ for our individual ‘ailments.’  Change begins with us.  Accusations, blame, complaints, denial and excuses are, as R’ Rietti calls them, the ‘ABCDE’s’ of running away from our individual responsibility.  We are responsible to change ourselves, not others.

As we learn from R’ Salanter, this is the only way to change the world.

Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Chaya bat Baya.  May Hashem shower her with rachamei Shamayim and a complete healing b’riut hanefesh v’b’riut haguf amongst all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.

BS’D

Life is truly a rollercoaster ride of emotions from confidence and security to helplessness and vulnerability.  This can most definitely lead to illness.  Tehillim perek 105 suggests a healing method to stabilize our emotions.

In this perek there is mention of the importance of giving thanks, calling out to Hashem, publicizing His compassion, praising Hashem, singing to Hashem and remembering how benevolent our Creator is.  Repetition of these thoughts and words infuses us with emotional wellness and stops us from feeling ‘battered’ and ‘victimized’ by life’s challenges. We should take charge to uplift ourselves and not fall prey to self-pity.  Resigning to the ‘verdict’ of hardships or c”v ‘diagnosis’ of an illness destroys our minds and hammers our hearts.

It takes tremendous courageous to face hopeless thoughts of, “I’ll never get out of this” or “There is no hope”; but we must remain brave in the face of these pessimistic thoughts. Hashem has a master plan yet we do not know what it is.  Therefore, anticipate the salvation, keep your spirits high and do not submit to hopelessness; there is no such word in the Jewish lexicon.

But sing – how and why?  Through singing we raise our spiritual consciousness – a vital tool is seeing purpose in all our difficulties. Singing is the medicine for all pain, fear and suffering since it gives expression to those feelings that reside in our hearts.  The sound of the tune serves to extract our deepest emotions and lift them to a place where they are soothed and healed; to the Ultimate Healer Hashem Yitborach.

BS’D

It is so wonderful when the readers write comments, thoughts and questions pertaining each of the daily doses.  I invite you all to do so more often and post them onto the comment section of each daily dose on the website.

What is this talk about hitbodedut? Why is it gaining so much attention? How will it help me?

It all boils down to the concept of yishuv ha’da’at (settling of one’s mind).  When we distance ourselves from the rest of the hum drum of the world and speak to Hashem in our own way, own language and with an open heart, we essentially are engaging in self-therapy.   We weigh the different aspects of our lives very carefully and do a self-accounting of our thoughts, speech and deeds.  All of the scattered thoughts and feelings get reorganized and replaced in an orderly fashion.

Let’s look at this logically.  A business owner must do an analysis of his business every so often. Some do so every week, some every month, some every quarter and some only yearly.   However every good business school teaches that we must ‘look in our books’ to make ourselves aware of how well the business is running.  ‘We’ in some sense, should look at our lives as a business.  How are we spending our time, money, energy?  Are we being productive and using the most of our assets for the good of the business?  These questions are meant to be addressed during our hitbodedut sessions.

The reward after doing hitbodedut: da’at (expansion of knowledge of the bigger picture, of life’s meaning, of Hashem’s presence).  When we work to attain da’at we strive to reach a heightened spiritual sensitivity in our lives; to be more aware of Hashem’s greatness and endless power.

When we reach the point where we recognize our smallness and are in awe of Hashem’s greatness, we can be assured that we are witnessing the truthful light of Ein od Milvado (there is no one else but Hashem).

There is nothing more reassuring than knowing that although we are not in control, Hashem is.  That means we are in great hands.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Shoshana bat Leah a young mother who is in serious condition after giving birth to her first child.  Please daven for her complete recovery and the continued health of her baby Tinok ben Shoshana.  May we only see revealed good, Amen.

BS’D

Today, 11th of Adar is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1807), a great Sephardic sage known by the acronym “Chida.” He was born in Jerusalem, and for many years served as a roving emissary for Jews in Israel, traveling to hundreds of Jewish communities throughout Europe and North Africa to raise money. Chida studied under the Ohr HaChaim, and wrote some 70 works of Jewish commentary and law, including the famous Birkei Yosef. He also served for a time as chief rabbi of Egypt. He died in Italy, and was later re-interred to his beloved Jerusalem (Aish.com).  May his zechut protect us and all of Klal Yisrael, amen!

Practice seeing Hashem everywhere.  It takes a keen vision and a great amount of strength to resist the environment and look beyond the external world the world present to us.  Emuna means precisely that – seeing the inner, the soul, even as we are in the body.

We learn a remarkable lesson from the passuk in tehillim (121:1), ” I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where (me’ayin – from nothing) will my help come?”  From where? me’ayin, from nowhere.  I can’t see hope from where I stand, there is no chance of me getting out of this tight corner in my life.  Yet, if I lift my eyes and seek only Hashem He will send the salvation from no where, Yesh m’ayin, something from nothing.

That is the difference between living our lives with the constricted vision of the outer realm as opposed to emuna vision; seeing the entire picture and our connection to the infinite. One of the vital methods to elevate our vision from the physical to the spiritual is through tefillah.  By engaging in tefillah and asking that Hashem help us in our endeavors we gain awareness of His control over everything.  This is strengthened even more so if we also remember to thank Him afterwards as this instills within us the recognition that Hashem is the only one who carves our destiny.

Don’t settle for externals.  Delve inside and seek the truth.  You will find Hashem everywhere.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to my Mother Morati Daniella bat Nelly and my Father Mori Raphael ben Esther for their complete health, happiness and nachat.  May HaKadosh Baruch Hu bless all of our parents with all revealed good for all of the goodness they provide us, Amen.

BS’D

UPDATE ON RAPHAEL YITZCHOK ISAAC AND CHAIM MICHO-EL SHLOMO B’NEI MICHAL GROSS (who were poisioned by extermination fumes):  Hodu l’Hashem ki tov, ki l’Olam Chasdo!

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What does it mean to truly trust in Hashem?  We may intellectually believe in the concept that Hashem does only good.  However at times in our lives, things happen that do not appear good at all.  So we ask ourselves, “If it is good, why does it not appear so?”

On our revealed level of understanding, many occurrences in this world look and feel bad.  Yet, on a hidden level, they are really good.  They are intended for our good.  Often with the passage of time, we are privy to see this inner goodness, yet sometimes not. Our emuna is regularly tested at those points in time when there is a conflict between our interpretation of events as they appear bad and Hashem’s promise that everything is in fact good.  Emuna is not challenged when we can logically interpret Hashem’s intervention as good.

The chief method to developing emuna is not to rely on our definition of good.  This method transforms our way of thinking and believing since no matter what we think and how illogical and irrational it may appear on the surface, we elevate our thinking from finite to infinite.  This mode of thinking transforms us and B’H it is in this merit that we can make a change in our situation.

If we see good only in that which our limited intellect declares as good, then we bind good only according to our dictates and leave no room c”v for Hashem.  Our world then operates through the mindset of ‘me’ judging everything according to my mindset which then closes our world and doesn’t allow G-dliness to enter.

Yet when we expand the viewing platform of the endless possibilities why Hashem has willed things to be like this, we alter our reality.  Consequently, we are transformed and this makes us worthy to see revealed good in our situation.

Today’s Daily Dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of my uncle and aunt Rachamim ben Esther and Sima bat Miriam.  May they be zoche to a complete healing b’riut hanefesh vb’riut haguf amongst all of those who are sick and suffering in Klal Yisrael, Amen.

BS’D

Mishlei (3:5).  “Trust in Hashem with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.”

Shlomo HaMelech ztk’l authored Mishlei with a central purpose – to provide us with words of wisdom on how to direct our actions with deep insight and understanding.  This knowledge provides for a better and happier life.

This passuk in Mishlei refers to events that are beyond our realm of control.  If we devote our efforts towards that which we cannot change, this will only lead to anger and disappointment as our expectations will simply remain unanswered.  In such cases where we cannot alter the reality of our situation, all we can do is simply accept reality for what it is.

In such incidents which are beyond our control – rely not on our understanding, only on Hashem.  Devising various schemes to control the uncontrollable is absolute foolishness.  We should not rely on our wealth and strength, rather place our entire trust in Hashem.  All of our deeds and planning hold no value unless Hashem decrees them to be fulfilled.

We should strive to let Hashem’s wisdom guide our every move and not delude ourselves by thinking that we can control the outcome of events by virtue of our intellect, wisdom and power.  Hashem is with us every step of the way, bringing about the best results that will carve the path for our ultimate best.

Today’s Daily Dose of emuna is sponsored and dedicated l’iluy nishmat Yisroel Reuven ben Meir Volff z”l.  May his neshama bask in the Divine radiance amongst all of the tzaddikim who have departed from this world, Amen.

If you wish to sponsor and dedicate a Daily Dose of Emuna lesson please contact oritriter@gmail.com. 

BS’D

Ah… the joy of Shabbat.  Joy bestows upon us the gift of momentarily forgetting what is troubling us.  Joy depicts a state whereby we are happy in our minds and we do not ‘remember’ any of our sorrows.

Delight (oneg), which is the term used to describe a level of happiness on Shabbat, makes every part of our body resonate, not just our minds; an immense overflow of joy. In the merit (zechut) of reaching this lofty level of inner joy, our thirst for closeness and ability to grasp Torah knowledge is more easily attained.  As a result of drenching the additional soul with a level of joy, our entire being can now devote its strength to serving Hashem.

In order that we not get ‘caught up’ in the physical delight of the table delicacies, it is important that we stop at regular intervals and ‘feed our soul’ with Torah learning (divrei Torah).  In this way, the food serves as a pipeline to feed our passionate craving to bond with Borei Olam.

Singing enhances oneg Shabbat as it is one of the ways that Hashem gifted us to ‘reach’ Him in spite of His concealment (hester panim).  Music is the channel by which we expand our consciousness and begin to connect to our inner higher self, namely our neshama. For any of us who passionately wishes to remove the veil of concealment and connect to Borei Olam, the fountain of bracha is showered upon him when he sings from his inner core.  This is a true ‘high’.

Posting on behalf of member of the list:

As you and I know, there is a desperate situation of unmarried singles seemingly not being able to meet their match. A friend of mine and I would like to start an initiative doing something small for 10 singles from Rosh Chodesh Adar (which passed, but we can still join) until Purim.
This is what we’re proposing: Take on something small (see suggestions on the list below) with a bli neder that you will do during the next 6 weeks in the hope that 10 singles will find their match. If you don’t know 10 singles, then please e-mail to amyisrael3@gmail.com and we will send you some names that you can do it for. You can also send us any Hebrew names of any singles so that we can send out your friend’s names too, but please keep us posted if they do find their match.
Please forward this e-mail to whoever you feel would like to participate in this.
Tizku l’mitzvos

The suggestions (from R’ Kelati):

Say your benching from a Siddur

Picking one bracha from the amida for special concentration

say at least one kapital (chapter) tehillim daily with special concentration

give a set (small) amount to Tzedaka every day

Be careful not to say Loshon Hora for one hour per day

Take a toddler/baby for a walk or help play with the sibling while mummy is busy with the baby or other child(ren)

Do some shopping for the elderly in an old-age home or at their own home.

Visit the elderly or people in hospital to see if they need extra or special food

Making a loud bracha before and after eating/drinking for amen to be answered

Staying behind after minyan for 2 halachot from Mishna Berura

Setting aside 10 minutes a day to learn

Not talking during davening/kaddish – and if you have mastered this, don’t talk in shul at all

During Ashrei, concentrate on the verse “poteach et yadecha”

Spend 20-30 minutes less on the internet daily

Get off Facebook completely or at least partially

Go to a shiur or listen to an mp3 shiur at least once a week

Spend a set amount of extra (quality) time with your children

Make a Shabbat meal for a needy family

Help a friend or neighbor with their children

Get to shul five minutes early

Don’t leave davening at shul before Aleinu

Say “Asher yatzar” and “shema” at night from a Siddur

Learning 1 Shabbos halacha daily

Daven every day, “Please Ha-Shem, look after all your beloved children”

Give a pleasant (smiling) greeting to every person you meet in the day.

Offer to walk with an older person with mobility difficulties

Find time to learn with people who have learning difficulties

Start a chesed organization, or project, to help the community

Volunteer for Hatzola

Volunteer to help your local shul with security

Daven for someone who needs help during your amida

Don’t use your phone for 10 minutes after greeting your children from school