BS’D
As negative feelings arise the distance between G-d and us widens. G-d is our shadow; as we respond to Him He in turn reacts back. Hence, it is essential to be true with ourselves, talk with honesty to G-d and use the mode of communication called Tefillah as an opportunity to ‘clear the air’ and make peace with our Creator.
Feel & heal exercise of the day
Spend a few moments discussing one issue with G-d that causes you anguish. Begin the process of letting go.
BS’D
There is a deep Kabbalistic teaching that distance causes G-d’s blessings to come down in the form of din (judgment) since we are not properly aligned with our Creator’s will and cannot receive His bountiful goodness in its correct form. One of the ways to align ‘our form’ with our ‘G-dly form’ is by internalizing the message that all that G-d does is for the very best.
Feel & heal exercise of the day
Repeat the following three times in a row, while taking three deep healing breaths and placing your right hand in the center of your chest and your left hand over your right:
“G-d’s love is eternal. He is taking care of all my needs day in and day out for my very best”
BS’D
Living with discontent causes us to perform mitzvot with a heavy heart as though it is a great burden and sacrifice. The Torah teaches that G-d wants our heart, our emotional bond and intent. We cannot bury our true feelings of resentment since G-d knows our innards; all is known before Him.
Feel & heal exercise of the day
Aask yourself “Why am I not happy in life” ~ address only the first thing that comes to mind, otherwise, we might be here all day Take 3 deep breaths while repeating the following “G-d loves me. He is taking care of all my needs.”
BS’D
The 17th of Tammuz is a day of great tragedy for the Jewish people. On that day, Moshe broke the Ten Commandments. Rashi explains that the tablets were made of special sapphire stones, large in size and too heavy for any human to carry, but the Divine light that radiated from the etched Hebrew letters helped ease the burden of carryng such large stones, making them miraculously lighter. However when the letters “witnessed” the sin of the golden calf they “flew off” the tablets returning them to their original weight ultimately causing Moshe to drop them.
Another explanation may be that Moshe broke them in order to discourage G-d from implementing His plan to annihilate the Jewish people for their sin and encourage Moshe to lead a new chosen nation. By breaking the tablets, Moshe was saying to G-d that he was a sinner along with the Jewish people and their demise was his as well.
Through this Moshe saved the Jewish nation even though their emuna was weak and their loyalty to G-d was questionable. Although Moshe had no way of knowing that G-d would later agree to provide a second set of tablets he understood his responsibility as the Jewish people’s leader; stand by your fellow man.
May we all merit to have the emuna and wisdom that Moshe showed on that day and save our nation from tragedies in this merit, Amen.
BS’D
The walls of Jerusalem were breached on the 17th of Tammuz which led to a series of horrific events. One of which was that the Kohanim were unable to continue to bring the offering “Tamid” due to the shortage of sheep. Another that the Roman general Apostomos burned a Torah scroll setting a precedent of burning more Jewish books for centuries to come. In addition, an idolatrous image was placed in the Sanctuary of the Holy Temple. All of this led to the ultimate destruction of the Second Temple three weeks later on the 9th of Av. It is brought down by our wise Sages, that for every year the Third Temple isn’t rebuilt it is as if the Temple was destroyed during that generation.
The Temple is described as the meeting place of Heaven on earth; literally a place where every human being could walk into and just ‘know’ with every fiber of their being that there is no other existence but G-d. In current times we need to break down many of the walls that separate us from G-d and look through the cracks of the broken concrete to find a glimmer of His presence. How much we have lost and how much we need to yearn and pray for the Heavenly chambers to be rebuilt here on earth once again. We must break down the borders that separate one Jew from another and reside in the same place in one another’s heart.
May we all merit to utilize the 17th of Tammuz to do a personal and thorough soul seach and pray with all of our hearts that G-d redeem us speedily and with abundant mercy.
BS’D
Rebbe Nachman ztk’l writes in ‘Mayim’ that no matter what compels a person to act in a certain way, we each have the free will to overcome the challenges and respond differently.
With that, we should change the way we view the world around us. Many times when we meet dissatisfaction, we blame others and are unwilling to own up to our part; we see ourselves a ‘victim of circumstance’. However, Rebbe Nachman firmly taught it all comes down to a person’s ratzon, as one desires to change so can she.
We may choose to see life differently now and greet whatever comes our way as a springboard to reach higher heights. When one desires to become the best athlete, they go to the coach that can get ‘the best out of him’.
Hashem is our coach and training us to be the best that we can be. It is our choice to see life in this light and respond through this viewpoint.
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