Tag Archives: perfect prayer

Flawed? Perfect?

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800px-Einstein_gyro_gravity_probe_bMay we possess no foolish, conceited thoughts…May we recognize our imperfections…

May we forget about our impressive family background and anything else that might make us haughty. Instead, may we stand before You like paupers, aware of our paltriness. 

—Prayer Number 97, Likutey Tefillos (The Fiftieth Gate, BRI)

“Please! I already feel so low, why do I have to speak to God about my imperfections? He already knows what they are. I already know what they are. (Boy, do I.)”

If you’re thinking this, I don’t blame you. Many of us put ourselves down, beat ourselves up. We focus on our flaws and this makes us feel terrible.

Why would we ever want to turn the spotlight on our imperfections? Continue reading Flawed? Perfect? →

The Power Of The Chanukah Lights

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???????????????????????????????Through the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah candles, God’s honor radiates forth, and is uplifted and magnified in the world… —Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Chanukah is often a presented as a “not very important” holiday. Common wisdom has it that Chanukah only receives attention because it occurs in the same season as non-Jewish holidays.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Continue reading The Power Of The Chanukah Lights →

Hisbodedus–Bridging The God Gap

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671473_43252177Every individual knows her own personal pain and sorrow and the distance that separates herself from God. —Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

How can we make the distance between us and God less? Each of the following is a vital step towards connection:

Learning Torah in general and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in particular

Sharing what we’ve learned with others (and vice versa)

Doing mitzvos and good deeds

The first, learning, is one way to begin to commune with and understand your deepest, truest, self. We need to know who we are(and who we are in a larger context), in order to connect with others. Continue reading Hisbodedus–Bridging The God Gap →

1313588_25399911Through perfect prayer, which in turn brings about “overall peace”, all creatures come to have compassion on one another and there is peace between them. —Rebbe Nachman of Breslov