Kidusha in Chazaras HaShatz (part two). Kidusha (2). This class covers only the weekday Kidusha inside. Three introductions and three kidushos 1) Srafim, Bria, sophisticated and nuanced, 2) Chayos (and Ofnim) Yetzira, simple passion, addresses Hashem Himself more directly, 3) down here Neshamos say Yimloch, expressing the Kidusha through actions.

Kidusha in Chazars Hashatz (part one). Kidusha (1). An introduction to Kidusha. The Zohar says that Kidusha is Biblical and is learned from the same Possuk from which we learn Mesiras Nefesh Al Kidush Hashem. Kidusha is about creating a Merkava (seat) for Hashem’s manifestation as the various levels of malachim do. The different Nuschaos,…

Ata Gibor. Long Version. (5773/2012). The Gevura of Hashem is His containing Himself in His world. Even where there is fault and flaw, rather than destroy and recreate, He works within the confines (gevuros) of His creation, to renew it, and even to bring it back from the dead.

Vayomer… Tzitzis (inside). The third Parsha of Krias Shma is about two things: 1) Mitzvos 2) Geula. In this class we pursue these ideas on the level of the greatest and most inspired Jews as well as for the ordinary Jew. Tzitzis means that after all the fringe, Action, at the end matters above else,…

These three Classes are simple Pirush HaMilos for the three parshiyos of Shma (a must listen). A (short) thought on the first Bracha of Krias Shma (5774/2014). 1) Stars and planets 2) angels, 3) God Himself functioning. Monday 18 Teves 5773, December 31 2012. Shma Yisroel (inside). The first Parsha of Shema, simple “pirush hamilos”…

Kadish (2). Kadish: the text is read inside. This class is based on the premise that there are two halves to the Kadish: 1) Until the end of ‘Yehai Shami Raba… Ulmaya’,(not including Yisborech) and 2) from ‘Yisborech…’ until the end. The first half is for the world He created ‘KiRusei’, (as He willed), the…

Kadish (One). Kadish, A consolation for God, in Aramaic, for the halving of His name and throne. The Kaddish is in Aramaic for two opposite reasons: 1) simple folk spoke that language, 2) and to hide from Angels. These two extremes represent what Kadish is, it is for healing and it reaches higher than hishtalshelus….

Mi Chamocha is about Hashem’s influence on the world, that travels from ‘heaven to earth’ through various levels of angels. The challenge is not to see the Angels but Hashem that is made available through their being intermediates, but mustn’t be blocked out because of this. In Davening we say it twice (once in Psukei…

A translation of the text. A few points were emphasized; What is a Bracha? Why praise Hashem? What does Boruch mean? Ata? Hu? and Havaya?

This is the turning point within the Pisukei diZimra, where we transfer from discussing what Hashem did for us in creation to discussing what He’s done for us as the Jewish nation.