Shana Tova!

Tonight begins the New Year Rosh Hashana and entering the year 5772

On Rosh Hashana we crown Hashem King and there is an elevation of the malchus. It is a time to consciously crown Hashem as our one creator and kabalas ol malchus shamayim (accept the yoke of Heaven). May everyone have a sweet new year and see only brachos

Now for some fun videos from youtube

ISRAEL

On Monday I landed in Israel where I'll be staying at Mayanot

I'm really excited to be here and I've been waiting for a long time for the chance to dedicate a solid amount of time to Torah learning. I want to give a big thank you to everyone who supported me financially or with their love and especially to my parents. Taking the year off of school was a big decision but with commitment and the right mind set I know I can make it well worth it.

So far we've had class from 745-9 or 10 and have also went on a tour of Katamon (in Jerusalem) and I've been to the Kotel and the shook, baked a banana chocolate chip cake for Shabbos, and learned even more Torah. The days are long and I'm still getting used to learning for such a long time all day but soon my mind and body will get used to it and I'll be able to internalize even more iyH. The teachers here are brilliant and we learn everything from the current situations in Israel with David Project, to the older Jewish History, Gamara, Mishna, Chumash, Parsha, Chassidus on the Parsha, Halacha, and ul pan. I'd like to say all of them are my favourites but if I had to chose I love Chasidus in the morning with Rabbi Levinger and Mishna.

Shalom from the Holy Land

Noa

**Disclaimer: the periods are all off on the document because my computer switched to hebrew format on its own, please be patient. **

Parshas Shoftim

Good Shabbos everyone =) this will be my last post in the states for a while b"H =) Sunday I am starting my adventure for the year. I'm taking off two semesters at NYU and traveling and studying in the seminary Mayanot in Jerusalem. I'm going to try to update this blog once a week with the parsha and iyH another post a week updating all my friends and family about what I'm doing in Israel. Stay posted and thanks for following!

Chabad house of Yorba Linda! 

This weeks parsha is Shoftim and it begins with laws of the administration of justice.

"Judges and justices of office you shall appoint to you all your gates"
the world could not endure without justice. We need it to keep things in order and people at peace and happy. It is a mitzvah for the jewish people but also it is part of the Noahide code wich apply to all mankind. To do righteous and justice is even more acceptable to G-d than sacrifice.

There must be law and order in society if man is going to survive. all disputes should be settled by wise honest judges. However, this doesnt mean we should always run to court and initiate litigations.

"judges and officers you shall appoint to you" to and for yourself. judge yourself. search your heart and concsious before you run to court. In the Gamara it states  "settlement by arbitration is a meritorious act" it promotes peace and harmony and is 'charitable justice'

'Yeshua halevi states that "in all your gates'  in literal sense of cities but also in a figurative sense which applies to every individual. Our sages refer to our eyes ears and mouth nostrils as the 7 gates of the soul. all the orifices of the human body are referred to as gates. This parsha cautions us that it means to you- to you personally, our personal gates. We should sit in judgement of what comes into us and ensure that they remain pure. Just as they are the entry for sin and transgression, they can be the gates for holiness. When we practice honest justice and righteousness with ourselves, we avoid the need and unpleasantness of litigation with others which promotes a love for one another. We can all strive for a stronger ahvas yisroel which will help us eventually merit to bring moshiach.

May we all filter in holiness and bring Moshiach now

Good shabbos!

--This week's dvar is based off Rabbi Immanuel Schochet on chabad.org

My next post will be in Prague iyH and from then on in ERETZ YISRAEL!!!!

Tu B'Av

          Last night until tonight is the of 15th of Av (or as my Rabbi likes to say "15 Av August" )
          This holiday is intriguing in that there isn't much description about observances on this day but at the same time it is the happiest of all the holidays. This holiday is known for being the night that unmarried women would all wear white dresses and go and dance in a field. Men would come and they would instantly see who is their soul mate and find his wife. It makes sense that this holiday would fall now on the 15th of Av after we just had our saddest day of the Jewish calendar: the 9th of Av. Just as a ball rolling down a hill is found in nature- so too is that idea in a spiritual sense. In order to grow and be on a whole new higher level, we need to go down first. A descend is necessary for an ascent. So right after our saddest day when we mourn the destruction of our two Temples and many other things, we have this great holiday filled with simcha.
          This Tu B'Av I went to a fellow Mayanot alum's wedding to dance and later a shiur on marriage. This is an auspicious time to celebrate in simchas so I was so happy to be able to help celebrate with her along with other friends. It was a beautiful wedding and the kallah was stunning =) May we all be able to dance at eachothers weddings and simchas in Jerusalem soon!
       
Since the nights are longer now, we are meant to increase our Torah learning especially today- and reading this blog was a start!

Happy Tu B'Av!

to learn more about this holiday... http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/53680/jewish/15th-of-Av.htm