SECOND BERAKHA: God’s Power To Heal

The second berakha (= blessing) of the ‘Amida is called geburot, the blessing that describes “the powers of God.” In the first blessing, Abot,  we saw how HaShem uses His powers to protect His People, Israel. In this Berakha we will see how HaShem uses His powers to prevent and overcome death.
TEXT: 1. “You are infinitely powerful, HaShem, You restore the life of the dead, and You save [from death] in many ways,  You make the wind blow and rain fall [During summer: You bring the dew down] .
2. You sustain living beings with goodness, You restore life with great compassion, You support those who are about to fall, You heal the sick and You free the captives.
3. And You fulfill Your promise with those who sleep on the dust [our ancestors]. Who is like You, Almighty, and Who resembles You, the King who takes life away and restores life, and make salvation to flourish.
4. And in You we trust, that You will revive the dead. Blessed are You, HaShem, who retire the life of the dead”. 
The mythological gods used their powers to defeat other gods, to destroy their enemy and to spread panic among humans. The power of these gods and mythological heroes was measured by their ability to kill: the more and more efficiently a god was able to kill, the more powerful he was. We Jews see the power of HaShem in all that is beneficial to mankind. HaShem uses His powers to sustain life and to prevent death, by providing food to all living creatures, by healing the sick and freeing the captives.
This powerful prayer inspires us to act with kindness. It teaches us that similar to HaShem we must also use our powers, resources and abilities (strength, wisdom, money) to save, to heal, to help, to sustain, to nourish, to assist, etc.
The ultimate expression of God’s power is Tehiyat haMetim, the resurrection of the dead, which is the idea with which this blessing ends (TEXT 4). Resurrection (not to be confused with “reincarnation”) is a central belief in Judaism. Tehiyat haMetim means that in messianic times, God will restore life to the dead. The body and soul will be back together as before death. Maimonides explains that this does not mean that men will no longer die; men will live longer, but will continue to be mortal. Understanding how this is going to happen, how bodies will be resurrected again into , is an idea beyond our power of visualization or imagination.
Anyways, the concept of resurrection is repeated several times in this blessing, and in different contexts. And it seems to me that in a progressive way this blessing gives us some illustrations where we can see that HaShem’s intervention revives and renews life, in three different levels.
PLANET EARTH (TEXT 1): At first HaShem’s power to renew life place manifests itself in the context of producing rain “You make the wind blow and the rain to descend.” Without rainwater, death would be inevitable. Without precipitation and without the climatic system that produces freshwater no living beings could exist. Thanks to the God-given rain, a seed that seems dead and dry and buried in the ground, revives, grows back and creates new plantas, trees and fruits.  We might not realize it in our daly lives, but rain is responsible for the constant renewal of life and for overcoming the death of all living creatures.
HUMANITY (TEXT 2): The second level of resurrection refers to human society. Our berakha presents different situations in which the very delicate difference between life and death is perceived. In the first place, we affirm that HaShem provides sustenance and nourishment to all creatures, without which life could not exist. HaShem intervenes and helps to prevent death by supporting those who are about to falter, by healing the sick that are about two die and freeing the captives that are sentenced to death. In all these cases, death would be imminent, if not for the intervention of HaShem Almighty to overcome it.
PEOPLE OF ISRAEL (TEXT 3): The third part of this blessing alludes to the survival of the Jewish people. HaShem fulfills the promise He made to our ancestors, alluded in this berakha by saying, “Those who sleep in the dust,” i.e., Abraham, Ytshaq and Ya’aqob. HaShem promised that the Jewish people will prevail and survive. It might be on the verge of total extinction, as in Egypt, or in the time of King Hizhqiyahu, or in the time of Haman, or in the Shoah. But HaShem prevents Israel’s extinction, and restores the life of His People.

תחיית המתים וחזון העצמות היבשות
2500 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel (Yehezquel) had a very special prophetic vision. In this vision (chapter 37) HaShem transported him to a valley. In that valley there were bones. Many bones. Human bones. Dry bones. There is nothing more dead than a dry bone. And in that vision, HaShem said to Ezekiel: “Son of man: Do you believe that these bones can come back to life?. And Ezekiel, in a combination of humility and surprise, replied: “HaShem … only You know that”. And then there was a deafening noise. And the bones began to move. Bones were joined with other bones and formed skeletons. And the skeletons were covered with veins, nerves and flesh, and skin. Now they were no longer bones, but human bodies without life. Corpses. And then HaShem said to Ezekiel: “Prophesy that the breath of life may come to them ….and let them live again.” And so it was. “And a breath of life entered the bodies and they rose to their feet. It was a great army, very numerous.” And then HaShem told the prophet Ezekiel: “Son of man, these bones are the House [the Nation] of Israel. They say: our bones have dried up, we have lost our hope, we have been condemned [to die]. Therefore, I want you to prophesy and tell them [Israel]: thus says HaShem, God: Behold, I will open your graves, and I will raise you from your graves and lead you to the land of Israel. And thus they will know that I am HaShem, when I open your grave and take you out of them, My people. And I will give you a spirit of life and you will relive. And I will lead you to your land. And then you will know that I am HaShem. I promised and I will deliver. “
It is impossible not to connect this prophecy with 1945 and 1948. In 1945 we were doomed to disappear. We were dry bones, or perhaps worse, ashes of bones. And then, when the Goyim (and even us!) thought that we had disappeared, that we would never again be a people, that all the great prophecies would never be fulfilled, the greatest miracle occurred: HaShem opened our graves, He raised us up, restored our lives and brought us to Israel. HaShem promised it. And he delivered. This is a modern example of Tehiyat haMetim, resurrection, one we can see with our own eyes.


AMIDA, FIRST BERAKHA: How does God protect Israel?

In the coming days, BH, we will analyze one by one the Berakhot of the ‘Amida, the main prayer.
The ‘Amida consists of nineteen blessings (berakha, pl. berakhot). The first blessing of the ‘Amida is called ‘Abot’, which literally means ‘Fathers’, referring to our patriarchs Abraham, Yitzhaq and Ya’aqob.

 

This blessing belongs to the first section of the ‘Amida: “Praise”.  Our first prayer to God, before asking anything, is to praise Him for protecting the Jewish people.

 

TEXT: “Blessed are You, HaShem, our God and the God of our Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Ya’aqob, the Great, Mighty and Awesome God, the Most High, Who makes acts of goodness, Who has created everything, Who remembers the good deeds of our ancestors, and Who will bring a redeemer to the children of his children, by His Name [=promise] and out of love. Blessed are You, HaShem, the protector of Abraham. “

 

In this blessing we affirm that HaShem protected Abraham, Ytshaq and Ya’aqob. We also describe in three words what we are able to understand, given our limitations, as to the powers of God. We say that He is Great, Mighty and Awesome (lit. “fearful” = that inspires awe, reverence and submission). That there is no power above or beyond His control (‘elion’). And that HaShem uses all His powers with kindness (gomel hasadim tobim) to protect us and ensure our continuity.

 

We declare that because of the merit of our ancestors (Zokher Hasde Abot), God grants us His protection in the present, and will bring our redemption in the near future (umebi go-el).

 

We also affirm that HaShem promised (lema’an shemo) to our ancestors that he will never allow the Jewish people to disappear. He will never abandon us because He loves us unconditionally, as the Tora says in Debarim 7: 7.

 

God protected us even before we became a nation, when we were just the family of Abraham or an incipient tribe, and we were extremely vulnerable.

 

It is worth clarifying that in this Berakha we are not ASKING for the protection of HaShem. Nor are we stating that HaShem protects every Jew by virtue of being Jewish. God’s protection of the Jewish individual is NOT the subject of this blessing. In this Berakha we affirm that God miraculously granted us our survival as the Nation of Israel, and we praise Him for keeping us alive, in spite of all who stand up to destroy us and against all odds.

 

Finally we say that HaShem is our King (melekh). A King who loves and cares for His subjects: us.

 

These four last words, מלך עוזר ומושיע ומגן “the King that helps, rescues and protects” also represents a progression of the different levels of protection that God grants Israel, which is the main theme of this blessing. “Meditating” on these levels of protection, we will get to feel how much HaShem loves us, and it will inspire us to love Him even more (which is, of course, one of the main goals of the Jewish prayer).

 

Let’s see what these four words are teaching us:

 

מלך “The King,” Melekh, it reminds us that normally the subjects are in charge of protecting the King. But in the case of HaShem, even though He is the King, it is He who protects us!
עוזר “who helps us.”  — At this level, we acknowledge HaShem for the fact that He helps our endeavors.  This means that when we are trying to accomplish something, HaShem helps our efforts and enables us to succeed.  It is not difficult to recognize HaShem’s help.  After all, if–say–I am starting a new business and ask HaShem to help me, I can recognize Him in my eventual success.  In the famous Psalm of Tehilla LeDavid (Ashré, Ps. 145), God’s help at this level is described as “Retson Yereav Ya’ase” (He fulfills the will of those who fear Him) (v. 19).  Again, this is HaShem’s intervention in the positive aspects of our lives: He enables us to succeed. 
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z”l suggested that in order to understand these different levels of protection, they could be analogized with a soldier fighting in the battlefield.  HaShem, the King for Whom I am fighting, not only is He in the battlefield with me (unlike most kings who stay in the safety of their encampment) but He actually helps me.  Me! His soldier.
מושיע “who rescues us,” — Now, we acknowledge HaShem’s redemption.  HaShem saves me when I get in trouble.  This kind of intervention is a little more subtle.  It takes a great person to realize that, after having gone through a difficult time and coming out from it, HaShem was the One who ended the bad situation.  Who saved me.  It is far easier to focus on the trouble I was in, than on the fact that the trouble eventually ended (as all troubles do).  But a Jew praying the ‘Amida is expected to stop and think about HaShem’s redemption. In Tehilla LeDavid, this divine redemption is described as “VeEt Shav’atam Yishma’ VeYoshi’em” (…and their [those who fear Him] cries, He hears, and He saves them) (v. 19). 
Again, in the example of the battlefield, the wounded soldier asks for help.  The soldier got in trouble.  The King, who was helping the soldier, now also rescues him from the battlefield, saving his life. 
מגן “who is our shield”. — This is the deepest level of HaShem’s protection.  It may be the most prevalent in our lives, but it also is the most subtle.  Only a very sensitive person can perceive HaShem’s guidance when nothing is happening.  This was Abraham’s greatness.  He was able to perceive HaShem behind all the troubles that could have, and didn’t, happen to him.  And so did King David when he said in Tehilla LeDavid, “Shomer A-donay Et Kol Ohavav…” (God protects all those who love Him) (v. 20).  Abraham was the one person that God ever called “Ohavi” (the one who loves me).  He also is the one after whom this Berakha follows “Magen Abraham.” 
Higher than “rescuing” us from the battlefield, is “Magen” (lit. shield).  It means that the King protects the soldier even before anything bad happens.  My enemies are shooting at me but the King shields me.  I’m not asking for His help, because I’m not aware of the dangers I’m facing…
We end this prayer by blessing (= acknowledging) HaShem for granting us our survival as a Jewish people, protecting and rescuing us when we ask for His help, and also when we do not realize that we should ask for His help. Ever since the times of Abraham Abinu (Magen Abraham, Bereshit 15: 1 אַל תִּירָא אברהם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ) until our own days.


A Simple Formula for Getting Rich

The market is flooded with tips on how to get rich. There are books, articles and of course hundreds of videos that try to convince you that you can become rich if you learn where to invest your money; how to diversify your portfolio, etc. And if you do not have money to invest, do not worry, they will teach you how to amass a small fortune, easily and quickly, from nothing!.

Unlike other religions whose ideal is poverty, in Judaism wealth is not seen as something negative, as long as one has obtained his or her money in an honest way. The Rabbis however, formulated a very interesting concept, to warn us about the unconscious psychological connections between our wealth and our thoughts. They said: אין עניות אלא מדעת, “Poverty, ultimately, is a mental condition.” While there are several opinions on the nature of this statement, I would like to present here one explanation that I found very applicable to our modern times.

What is wealth? Wealth is not measured by what one has but by what one needs. Regardless of how much I have, if I need more than what I have, I am a poor person. The level of my poverty (and of my wealth) is the difference between what I have and what I feel I need to have. The wider this gap, the poorer I am, and vice versa.

Our rabbis taught us that poverty might well be a state of autosuggestion: when unawarely I convince myself that I do not have everything I need. That what I have is not enough. And it does not satisfy me. And I need more. While “wealth” is a state of mind in which I am at peace with what I have.

I’ll explain it with numbers. In fractions, we have the numerator and the denominator. In “3 over 4” “three” is the numerator and “four” is the denominator. In our case the numerator is “what I have” and the denominator is “what I feel I need”. Sometimes my numerator, what I have, can be very high, for example, “9”. But what if my denominator, what I feel I should have, is 10, or 15 or 50? And sometimes my numerator is lower, say “3”, but my denominator is also 3. Who is richer, the one that has 9 or the one that has 3? It depends on the denominator. The one with 3/3 is richer than the one with 9/10, and much richer than the one with 9/50.

Normally, in the consumer society people try to increase their numerator to become wealthier, to reach the “conventional” denominator. But when one finally reaches the denominator, one discovers that the denominator has changed, has risen. Many people, perhaps unknowingly, live in a permanent state of “mental poverty.” They always “need” more, and they are always missing something. They are not aware of their fatal error: surrendering the control of their denominator into the hands of the consumer society. One of the best examples I can give is a cell phone. I have a Samsung 5. Very good phone. It has everything I need, and then a lot more. One day, Samsung announces its latest model: the Samsung “7”. And then, as if by magic, my Samsung 5 looks now insufficient … Suddenly “I need” (Samsung convinces me that I need!) a camera with more megapixels; a screen 13 millimeters larger than the one I have, and of course the indispensable fingerprint ID sensor (how was I able to survive without it?!). Having the Samsung 5 while “needing” the Samsung 7 is the best illustration of that mental poverty,  the illusory 5/7, which makes me think that only when I get the Samsung 7, I will be rich! (that is, until Samsung presents the Samsung 8! ).

According to our Sages, the key to being truly rich is to be aware of our denominator and to maintain it under our control, and not under the control of the consumer society, as is often the case. The value of the denominator must be established by my religious values and principles, and be independent of consumerism and the world of advertising.

To take full advantage of this SEGULA and feel rich NOW, we should repeat as many times as necessary: “The less I need, the  richer I am”. And: “I don’t need to have what I like; I need to like what I have.”

 



SEGULOT: A Simple Formula for Getting Rich

The market is flooded with advice on how to get rich. Books, articles, and hundreds of videos try to convince you that you can become rich if you know where to invest your money, how to diversify your portfolio, etc. Or, if you don’t have money to invest, they teach you what you must do to amass a small fortune easily and quickly.
Unlike other religions whose ideal is poverty, in Judaism, wealth is not seen as bad as long as one obtains money honestly. But our Sages coined a very interesting—super modern; I would say—a concept that shows the unconscious relationship between wealth and thought. They said אין עניות אלא מדעת, “Poverty, ultimately, is a mental condition.” Although there are various opinions on the nature of this statement, I would like to refer to an explanation applicable to our modern times.
What does wealth consist of? Wealth is not measured by what one has but by what one needs. Regardless of how much I have, I am a poor person if I need more than what I have. The level of my poverty (or my wealth) is the difference between what I have and what I feel I need to have. The wider this gap, the poorer I am, and vice versa. Our rabbis teach us that poverty can be a state of autosuggestion: the conviction that I do not have everything I need. That what I possess is not enough for me. It does not satisfy me that I need more. Whereas wealth is the mental state in which I am at peace with what I have. I do not need more than what I already possess.
I will explain it with numbers. In fractions, we have the numerator and the denominator. In “3 over 4” (3/4), “three” is the numerator, and “four” is the denominator. In our case, the numerator is “what I have,” and the denominator is “what I think I need.” Sometimes, my numerator, what I have, can be very high, for example, “9.” But what happens if my denominator, what I wish to have, is 10, 15, or 50? And sometimes my numerator is lower, say “3,” but my denominator is also 3. Who is richer, the one who has 9 or the one who has 3? It will all depend on the denominator. The one who has 3/3 is richer than the one who has 9/10 and much richer than the one who has 9/50.
Typically, in the consumer society, people try to increase their numerator to be rich and reach the “conventional” denominator. But when they finally reach the denominator, they discover that the denominator has changed, it has risen. These people, perhaps unknowingly, live in a permanent mental state of “poverty.” They always “need” and are missing something else. They are unaware of their grave mistake: handing control of their denominator to consumer society. One of the best examples I can give is that of a cell phone. I have a Samsung 5. Perfect phone. It has everything I need and much more than I need. Suddenly, Samsung announces its latest model: the Samsung “7.” And so, almost as if by magic, my Samsung 5 now seems insufficient to me. Suddenly, I “need” more megapixels, a screen 13 millimeters larger than the one I have, and, of course, the now indispensable fingerprint sensor (how could I survive without it?!). Having the Samsung 5 and “needing” the Samsung 7 is the best illustration of mental poverty, absolutely relative, of 5/7, and it makes me think that only when I obtain the Samsung 7 will I be rich! For a while until Samsung presents the model 80.
According to our Sages, the key to being truly rich is to be aware of our denominator and have it under our control, not under the control of consumer society, as usually happens. The value of the denominator must be established by my values and my religious principles and be independent of consumer society and the world of advertising.
To master this SEGULA and feel rich NOW, we will repeat as many times as necessary: “The less I need, the richer I am. I don’t have to have what I want: I have to want what I have.”



The Secret to Finding Your Soulmate (shiddukh)

נחית דרגא נסיב איתתא
פ’ רש”י לא תקח אשה חשובה ממך שמא לא תתקבל עליה. יבמות ס”ג
Worldwide, single Jewish boys and girls are having a hard time finding their soul mates. People resort to all kind of metaphysical help and even superstitions, which for the most part, are not working.
Today I will share with the reader a very powerful SEGULA which can help you to find the right girl, and could solve the Shiddukhim crisis altogether !
This SEGULA is brought in the Talmud Yebamot, 63. So, you can consider it absolutely legit an 100% Kosher! It is addressed mainly to men, but it works also for girls. This Segula consists of just four words: נחית דרגא ונסיב איתתא (nahit darga unsib iteta) Literally: “Descend one step and get yourself a wife”. What the rabbis are saying is that you, the man  “should not be looking for a woman that is on a higher level than you, rather, look for a girl that finds YOU attractive”.
Well, you have to admit that this is, indeed, a revolutionary statement for our modern society, a total paradigm shift! And I guess this statement represents a very big problem for those who think, and try to make others believe, that our Tora is (or our rabbis are) chauvinist.
Allow me to illustrate how this SEGULA works.  If I ask a single guy of certain age why he still single, knowing that BH he has many potential suitable candidates, he would usually repeat this mantra: “Rabbi, I need to find a girl that I feel attracted to”.  If a guy considers himself in terms of looks, say, level “8” (apologies for using this materialistic superficial conventionalism, but it is the best illustration to explain this critical point), he expects to find a girl who is at least level “9” . It absolutely does not cross through his mind for a second that a level “9” girl might be expecting a level “10” guy, not a level “8” guy!
Now, you can see why we have this “shidukhim crisis”. Boys and girls are trapped in this vicious cycle.  if a level “8” girls looks for a  9 guy, and a 9 guy looks for an 10 girl, this trend means that everyone is looking for an upgrade of himself or herself, and the pool of potential candidates is smaller and smaller.
Our rabbis said that in terms of appeal, if you date  a good person (good middot, i.e., good qualities, good values, good personality) as long as you do not feel a physical rejection for that person, you should try to explore the possibilities of a serious relationship with that person. What about attraction? You need to allow time to do its magic. Emotional closeness and love will eventually trigger a long lasting attraction. Let me explain. Contrary to what was believed in Greek (and what is believed in modern society) for the Jewish mind, beauty is absolutely subjective, and it is “the result”, not the cause, of love. It is NOT that I love you because I find you beautiful, but rather, I find you beautiful because I love you.   When I get to love someone, then I find him or her beautiful. Think about a mom or a dad with their children: no matter how handsome my neighbors’ 4 years old boy is. To ME there is no one in the universe more handsome than MY boy. Why? Because I love my son!  So, if you go out with a “good” potential candidate, give it some time, even if you don’t feel the butterflies right away.
The media, on the other side, is trying to reprogram our minds and make us believe that “I cannot be attracted to any girl that does not look like a movie star”. Modern media is perhaps the main responsible for the materialistic consideration of “looks”, as the most important determining factor in a Shiddukh.
Our SEGULA teaches men to make a switch and think: “I must find a girl that finds ME attractive”. When people think that way, the pool of potential candidates for marriage suddenly grow exponentially!
I know many (too many, unfortunately!) guys who are very suitable bachelors, and sometimes years might pass by until they get married. Why?  Because, opposite to the Rabbis’ SEGULA and probably guided by modern-media-values, they often fall in the trap of their own imagination: “I loss interest in this girl because she likes me. I need to conquer a girl who is still not attracted to me”. This destructive, and unfortunately, not uncommon utopia sometimes can last for years.
So, if you are looking seriously to get married, repeat this SEGULA: Nahit Darga Unsib Iteta, as many times as needed. And start looking for the right boy or girl: the one that is attracted to YOU.

 



SEGULOT: The Secret to Finding Your Soulmate (shiddukh)

נחית דרגא נסיב איתתא

פ’ רש”י לא תקח אשה חשובה ממך שמא לא תתקבל עליה. יבמות ס”ג

Worldwide, single Jewish boys and girls are having a hard time finding their soul mates. People resort to all kinds of metaphysical help and even superstitions, which, for the most part, are not working.

 

Today, I will share with the reader a very powerful SEGULA that can help you find the right girl or husband and solve the Shiddukhim crisis altogether!

 

This SEGULA is brought in the Talmud Yebamot, 63. So, it is absolutely legit, and all rabbis approve 100% of Kosher SEGULA! It is addressed mainly to men, but it works also for girls. This Segula consists of just four words: נחית דרגא ונסיב איתתא (nahit darga unsib iteta) Literally: “Descend one step and get yourself a wife.” The rabbis are saying that you, the man,  “should not be looking for a woman that is on a higher level than you; rather, look for a girl that finds YOU attractive.”

 

Well, you have to admit that this is a revolutionary statement for our modern society, a total paradigm shift! And I guess this statement represents a huge problem for those who think and try to make others believe that our Tora is (or our rabbis are) chauvinist.

 

Allow me to illustrate how this SEGULA works.  If I ask a single guy of a certain age why he is still single, knowing that BH has many potential suitable candidates, he would usually repeat this mantra: “Rabbi, I need to find a girl that I feel attracted to.”  If a guy considers himself in terms of looks, say, level “8” (apologies for using this materialistic superficial conventionalism, but it is the best illustration to explain this critical point), he expects to find a girl who is at least level “9”. It absolutely does not cross his mind for a second that a level “9” girl might be expecting a level “10” guy, not a level “8” guy!

 

Now, you can see why we have this “Shidukhim crisis.” Boys and girls are trapped in this vicious cycle. If a level “8” girl looks for a nine guy, and a nine guy looks for a 10 girl, this trend means that everyone is looking for an upgrade of himself or herself, and the pool of potential candidates is getting smaller and smaller.

 

Our rabbis said that in terms of appeal, if you date a good person (good middot, i.e., good qualities, good values, good personality), as long as you do not feel a physical rejection for that person, you should try to explore the possibilities of a serious relationship with that person. What about attraction? You need to allow time to do its magic. Emotional closeness and love will eventually trigger a long-lasting attraction. Let me explain. Contrary to what was believed in Greek (and what is believed in modern society) for the Jewish mind, beauty is absolutely subjective, and it is “the result,” not the cause, of love. It is NOT that I love you because I find you beautiful, but rather, I find you beautiful because I love you. When I love someone, I find them attractive. Think about a mom or a dad with their children: no matter how handsome my neighbor’s 4-year-old boy is. To ME, no one in the universe is more handsome than MY boy. Why? Because I love my son!  So, if you go out with a “good” potential candidate, give it some time, even if you don’t feel the butterflies right away.

 

The media, on the other side, is trying to reprogram our minds and make us believe that “I cannot be attracted to any girl that does not look like a movie star“. Modern media is perhaps the main responsible for the materialistic consideration of “looks”, as the most important determining factor in a Shiddukh.

 

Our SEGULA teaches men to switch gears and think, “I must find a girl who finds ME attractive.” When people think that way, the pool of potential candidates for marriage suddenly grows exponentially!

 

I know many (too many, unfortunately!) guys who are very suitable bachelors, and sometimes years might pass by until they get married. Why?  Because, opposite to the Rabbis’ SEGULA and probably guided by modern-media-values, they often fall into the trap of their own imagination: “I lose interest in this girl because she likes me. I need to conquer a girl who is still not attracted to me”. This destructive and, unfortunately, not uncommon utopia sometimes can last for years.

 

So, if you are looking seriously to get married, repeat this SEGULA: Nahit Darga Unsib Iteta, as many times as needed. And start looking for the boy or girl who is already attracted to YOU.



The Best Antidote Against Memory Loss

Maimonides asserts that certain Mitzvot act as our “protective angels.” One of these Mitsvot is the Mezuza. But what do we have to protect ourselves from? What protection does the Mezuza offer us? Let’s see. The Mezuza is now more necessary than ever. We live super-hectic lives. We are overwhelmed with all kinds of worries and distractions. Material needs that we must solve urgently, bills to pay, jobs we have to do, tests we have to pass, competition we must face, etc. All these issues demand our total attention, NOW! We are so distracted occupying ourselves with a thousand urgent matters, that we forget to focus on the most important thing in life: The purpose of our existence.

Obviously, “the meaning of life” is only relevant to those of us who believe in God. Whoever believes that we are in this world by a cosmic accident that produced life by chance billions of years ago, and that we, human beings, are a fortuitous mutation of apes, should not worry about the question of “purpose.” If God does not exist, there is no “purpose” to look for. Just go ahead doing what you have to do to survive, observing the laws of the jungle.

However, those of us who do believe that God created the universe, and life, and created us, know that He must have done it with a purpose. Pursuing that purpose, and keeping it in mind once we find it, is what gives meaning (= direction) to our life.

Theoretically, we should have this thought in mind permanently. Everything we do should be focused almost exclusively on realizing the meaning of our lives.

But the ironic reality is that a person can believe in God, have clarity about his own existential purpose, and yet he might be so busy in solving his worldly problems, that he might end up “forgetting” the purpose of his life. If this becomes a permanent issue, it is like a spiritual suicide. The greatest human tragedy, perhaps.

Now we can better understand the role of the Mezuza. The Mezuza contains within it the Shema Israel: the basic statement of the Tora that asserts the existence of God. Every time we enter a room, we cross a door, or we go from one place to another, we stop briefly to touch, connect with the Mezuza. This pause compels us to interrupt our worldly thoughts and to remember our Creator. The Mezuza helps us to recenter, to refocus our minds, to regain consciousness of the meaning of our lives: what is really important. The Mezuza is the antidote against that dangerous kind of existential forgetfulness.
Maimonides explicitly mentions this “segula” of the Mezuza. In Mishne Tora, Hilkhot Mezuza 6:13 he says. “One should take great care in [the observance of the Mitsva of] the Mezuza. Each time one enters or leaves [a room], one must connect with the name of God [which is written in the Mezuza]. In this way, a person awakens from his [spiritual] lethargy, [letting go] his obsession with worldly vanities. Thus, one recognizes that there is nothing that will accompany him for all eternity except the knowledge of the Creator [ that is, the ever clearer awareness that God exists]. This will help him to regain full consciousness [of the purpose of his life], and he will thus follow the paths of righteousness. “

Maimonides calls the Mezuza (and the Tefilin and the Tsitsit) “angel of protection”. Since it protects us from forgetfulness, and does not allow us to unfocus ourselves from our mission in life. HaRambam concludes: “These are the angels that prevent a person from sinning, as it is written [Tehilim 34: 8]:” The angel of God [these three Mitsvot] are around those who fear Him, protecting them.”

 



The Best SEGULA Against Memory Loss

Maimonides teaches that certain Mitsvot act as our “protective angels.” One of these Mitsvot is the Mezuza. But what exactly are we being protected from? And what kind of protection does the Mezuza offer us? Let’s see.

Today, the Mezuza is more necessary than ever. We live in a super-hectic world, overwhelmed by worries and distractions: material needs that require urgent attention, bills to pay, jobs to complete, tests to pass, competition to face, and more. These issues demand our full attention — now! We are so consumed by urgent matters that we forget to focus on the most important thing in life: the purpose of our existence.

Of course, “the meaning of life” is only relevant to those of us who believe in God. If someone believes that life emerged by cosmic accident billions of years ago, and that we are nothing more than a fortuitous mutation of apes, then the question of “purpose” is irrelevant. If God does not exist, there is no higher purpose to seek. Survival becomes the only goal, and the laws of the jungle prevail.

However, for those of us who believe that God created the universe, life, and ourselves, we know there must be a reason behind our existence. Pursuing that purpose — and keeping it constantly in mind — is what gives meaning, direction, and depth to our lives.

Ideally, we should live with this awareness at every moment. Everything we do should be guided by our mission and our purpose.
But reality often looks very different. A person can believe in God, understand his purpose, and still be so absorbed in worldly responsibilities that he ends up “forgetting” the very reason he was placed in this world. If this forgetfulness becomes constant, it amounts to spiritual suicide — perhaps the greatest human tragedy.

Now we can better appreciate the role of the Mezuza. The Mezuza contains the Shema Israel — the fundamental declaration of the Tora affirming the existence of God. Every time we enter a room, cross a threshold, or move from one place to another, we pause briefly to touch and connect with the Mezuza. That brief moment forces us to interrupt our worldly thoughts and reconnect with our Creator. The Mezuza recenters us, refocuses our minds, and renews our awareness of what truly matters. It is the antidote to the dangerous illness of existential forgetfulness.

Maimonides explicitly mentions this “segula” of the Mezuza. In Mishne Tora, Hilkhot Mezuza 6:13, he writes: “One should take great care in [the observance of the Mitsva of] the Mezuza. Each time one enters or leaves [a room], one must connect with the name of God [written in the Mezuza]. In this way, a person awakens from his [spiritual] lethargy, [letting go of] his obsession with worldly vanities. Thus, one recognizes that nothing will accompany him for all eternity except the knowledge of the Creator [the ever-clearer awareness that God exists]. This will help him regain full consciousness [of his purpose] and thus follow the paths of righteousness.”

Maimonides calls the Mezuza — along with the Tefilin and the Tsitsit — an “angel of protection,” because it protects us from the most dangerous threat: forgetting our mission in life.
HaRambam concludes: “These are the angels that prevent a person from sinning, as it is written [Tehilim 34:8]: ‘The angel of God [these three Mitsvot] is around those who fear Him, protecting them.'”



The Fast of the Tenth of Tebet

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 8th, we will observe the fast of Asara beTebet (10th of the month of Tebet). The fast begins at dawn and ends at dusk (in NY, the fast begins at 6:24AM or in some communities at 6:07AM, until 5:04PM/ 5:07PM).
The main event that we remember on this day is the siege of Yerushalayim by Nebukhadnezzar, king of Babylon. The siege of the city marked the beginning of the battle that finally destroyed Jerusalem and our first Bet haMiqdash in the year 586 before the common era. Hundreds of thousands of Yehudim died of starvation during the siege or were killed in battle, captured as slaves or sent as prisoners of war into exile in Babylon.
Like all fasting days, it should be dedicated to Teshuba (return, repentance). In the words of Maimonides (MT, Hilkhot Ta’anit, 5:1), during the days of fasting “we must remember our transgressions and errors, which are similar to the mistakes made by our ancestors.” These transgressions brought the destruction of our Bet HaMiqdash and the estrangement of the Shekhina, the presence of God, from our midst. The shortening of the distance between us and our Creator is in our hands. And a renewed closeness with Bore Olam will bring us closer to seeing our Bet haMiqdash, once again rebuilt.
There are two other events that we also remember on this day. The translation of the Tora into the Greek language (which occurred on the 8th of Tebet), and the death of Ezra haSofer (9th of Tebet).
On the 8th of Tebet, about 260 BCE, in Alexandria, Egypt, King Ptolemy ordered 72 Jewish scholars to translate the Tora into Greek. King Ptolemy tried to demonstrate the non-existence of a unified Jewish interpretation of the Tora, and thus to have an excuse to delegitimize Jewish tradition and humiliate the people of Israel. For this purpose, the Jewish Sages were placed in separate work rooms. Thus, thought the Greek monarch, it would be impossible for all of them to translate the biblical text in the same way. However, miraculously, all the sages translated every word of the Tora in the same way. The translation of the Tora into the Greek was considered by Jewish historiography as a very negative event. Why? Because the Hebrew Bible became from that time a book that the Gentiles boasted of fully understanding, even when they totally ignored the original language of the Tora, Hebrew, and the traditional Jewish interpretation. Three centuries later, the Septuagint paved the way for the advancement of a new oxymoron: non-Jewish “biblical” religions. As Timothy McLay explains, “the Jewish Scriptures as they were studied, read, and interpreted in the Greek language were the basis of much, if not most, of the New Testament interpretative context.” Unlike pagan cults, which were clearly antagonistic to the Tora, these new religions were supposedly based on the Tora. Ironically, the Bible was interpreted at will and whim to justify non-Jewish or even anti-Jewish ideas or beliefs “in the name of the Bible!” All this new trend caused countless tragedies for the Jewish people for centuries or millennia.
Another event we remember is the death of Ezra haSofer, which occurred on the 9th of Tebet. Seventy years after the destruction of the first Bet haMiqdash, approximately in 516 BCE, many Jews returned to Erets Israel with the encouragement of the Persian Emperor Cyrus (Koresh). A total of 42,360 Yehudim returned to Israel, led by Zerubbabel (see Ezra 2:64). Years later, in 457 BCE, more Jews made Aliyah led by Ezra the Scribe, who was assigned by the new Persian Emperor Artakhshasta as the spiritual leader of the Yehudim who came from Babel to Yerushalayim. Ezra had a very difficult mission. The Yehudim returning from Babel, where they were exiled for four or five generations, had already forgotten the Torah and its laws and had adopted many values of the Babylonian culture.  Many Jews did not even know how to speak or read Hebrew. In Yerushalayim, Ezra established the Anshe Keneset haGedola, the first Jewish Parliament, a High Court composed of 120 Sages and Prophets. With them, Ezra set a number of resolutions to revive the study and fulfillment of the Tora and to re-educate the Jewish people. Ezra with his Court increased the public reading days of the Tora; composed the text of the Amida (main prayer) because people had forgotten how to pray with basic eloquence; implemented that the reading of the Tora be translated to Aramaic; adapted the names of the Hebrew months and the fonts of the biblical text (ketab ashuri), all of this to facilitate the study of Tora, etc. Ezra haSofer was considered by our rabbis as a second Moshe Rabbenu, and as the historical link between the written Tora and the oral Tora. The Tora, the rabbis explained, was forgotten during the long captivity of Babylon, and was recovered thanks to Ezra haSofer.

 



The Benefits of Physical Activity, According to Maimonides

הויאל והיות הגוף בריא ושלם, מדרכי ה ‘הוא, שהרי אי אפשר שיבין או יידע והוא חולה צריך אדם להרחיק עצמו מדברים המאבדין את הגוף, ולהנהיג עצמו בדברים המברים המחלימים
In the fourth chapter of MT, Hilkhot De’ot, Maimonides says that maintaining a strong and healthy body helps to prevent diseases, allowing us to serve HaShem with all our strength. “Being that maintaining a healthy and sound body is part of our service to God, since one can not understand or have knowledge of the Creator if he is ill, therefore, one must avoid everything that damages the body and get accustomed to what it is healthy and helps the body to get stronger. “ Hilkhot De’ot, 4: 1
In the same chapter, halakha 14, the celebrated rabbi and physician, explains the importance of regular physical activity.
Hilkhot De’ot 4, Halakha 14
“There is another principle with regards to physical well-being: As long as one exercises, exerts himself greatly, and does not eat to the point of satiation … he will not suffer sickness and he will grow in strength….”
This Halakha, written more than 800 years ago, sounds very familiar to our modern ears, and allows us to appreciate that our Rabbis had long known the basic principles of preventive medicine.
Maimonides also wrote, Hilkhot De’ot 4 Halakha 15
“… whoever feels idle and does not exercise, … even if he eats the proper foods and is careful to follow the rules of medicine, he will suffer pain [and disease] … and his physical strength will diminish.
I would like to share with the readers other advices from Maimonides, less known, where he also refers to the importance of physical activity. I will quote below the words of Maimonides from David J. Zulberg’s book, “The Life Transforming Diet”,  a modern book of medical advice based entirely on the medical principles of HaRambam.
“Hippocrates [a renowned Greek physician, 460 – 370 BC, considered the Father of Modern Medicine] taught that exercise is the cornerstone of the preservation of health and the prevention of most illness. There is nothing that can substitute for exercise in any way” (p. 99)
“Without exercise diet alone is not sufficient for the preservation of health, and eventually medical treatment will be needed” (p. 100)
“…someone who is used to physical activity, even if he has a sick body or is old, is able to tolerate [illness and recover from it] better than a healthy person who is not used to physical activity” (p. 102)
This text is from a letter Maimonides sent to one of this patients
“As to what you mentioned, that you feel weak after exercises, the cause of this is the omission of regular exercises. If you resume exercising gradually, little by little, you will gain…strength and vitality…” (p. 102)
SEGULA FOR A GOOD HEALTH: Do not overeat, and do physical activity regularly.