Comments for Reb Zalman Legacy Project

Comment on A Whole-Hearted Retreat by Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor)

Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:44:25 +0000

Dear Rabbi Matous:

Thank you.

I suggest you first check out the retreat website, http://www.wholeheartedretreat.com/ which will hopefully give you the information you are seeking.

Or if you have any specific questions that are not addressed there, send a note to wovenhearts@mindspring.com
Blessings,
Gabbai Seth Fishman

Comment on A Whole-Hearted Retreat by Rabbi Yoseph Matous

Rabbi Yoseph Matous — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:31:40 +0000

Please send me more information about this retreat, and any others with Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Thank you very much.

Comment on Washing of Garments by carl zimmerman

carl zimmerman — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:44:28 +0000

come on. keep it coming. this is the first time i have entered your website and I am enthralled with your texts. I am exalted that I have entered your realm. Baruch Hashem.

Comment on Renewal is not Judaism-Lite by The Compleat And Actual Adventures of Marcella White Campbell › Be Kosher Now: Eco-Kashrut

Sun, 30 May 2010 02:25:22 +0000

[…] Zalman suggests moving away from traditional kashrut and toward

Comment on Diversity and Ahavat Yisrael by RabbiCaudill

RabbiCaudill — Sun, 23 May 2010 06:59:03 +0000

As always, thank you for this wonderful teaching. I also received such a wonderful reception at Bikur Cholim Sepharad in Seattle. Rabbi Maimon taught me MeAm Lo’ez (he translated from the Ladino text) and first taught me to lay tefillin. He presented me with a tallit that had belonged to his father. I was so very blessed. I view Rabbi Maimon as my “Godfather”.

Comment on L-Chayim Tovim / To a Good Life by Betty Esthelle

Betty Esthelle — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:55:02 +0000

Dear Zalman, As you know, I have been studying and experimenting with purification for many years in my work, Body Enlightenment, especially engaging the transformational power of Shechina to transform personal traumas into the personal wisdom of experience.
After all the holy design of nature is that there is no waste and that our personal”garbage” becomes “compost” to fertilize future life. This is true of what ever we experience that is not nourishing. We cannot digest fear, pain, or trauma. We are not able to embrace and become thiis negativity . We must find the way to give this compost (disease) to the earth (Shechina) to become the fertilizer that grows us toward our own wisdom. We bury objects for purification. This is Ha Shem’s design. WE can utilize this process to free ourselves and become wiser in the process. It works!
And I am still doing the holy work of helping people to heal themselves.

I also want to share a beautiful Simcha with you. I am beginning to study with my adult daughter and my 11 year old grand daughter to become a three generation Bat Mitzvah in a year. I will be 83 years old! The perfect age!. We are having a very interesting journey together. I am very grateful to you for handing me my very first Torah and to Jason Gabor ( may he be blessed to rest in peace) for bringing me to Jewish Renewal.

With Blessings of Love & gratitude,
Betty Esthelle

Comment on Toward Freeing the Seder by A Few More Passover Resources « Thoughts from Rabbi Michael

A Few More Passover Resources « Thoughts from Rabbi Michael — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:50:00 +0000

[…] Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi – Thoughts on Passover […]

Comment on Just Say No and Respecting Human Dignity by Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor)

Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:19:48 +0000

Having just reread this section in the Torah, what is coming up for me now is the fact that we no longer, as a people, believe in slavery, and so Reb Zalman is showing us ways in which the text is organic and can be shaped over time in order to keep us in touch with the living God, as we understand Hir.

Thus, the original interpretation, that the master gave the woman to the Hebrew man with the intention of rearing slaves as one would raise livestock, is something which no longer makes sense to us.

As post-triumphalists, as people who recognize the sacredness of alternate cultures and religions, the only way to read this text now is being shown to us as one in which the husband goes out and then redeems his wife and children. Just as our ancestors came from Europe to America and raised money to bring over their families, so this slave, sold by the court as a punishment for stealing, will take the money provided by his master, and raise what is needed to redeem his family so they can live together in freedom.

Comment on So You Want To Learn Kabbalah by Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor)

Gabbai Seth Fishman (Blog Editor) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:11:08 +0000

Dear Viktor:
I am not sure if it will help, but here’s my reactions to your note.

You say that the vibrations in your body are strong. I would explore the possibility of controlling this and not being controlled by it. I don’t believe that this is something out of your control. It seems like you are praying to an idea of God that is somehow dominating you and you are speaking about it in a way that gives the impression that it is taking you over. I see prayer as a collaboration. You should be able to shape it.

Try approaching it with gentleness. Look for a still small voice rather than a booming.

The noise in your ear is a concern and must be a nuisance. I would perhaps go to a doctor about it, because it should be checked out.

Does it happen also when you do not pray? If that is the case, try sitting quietly at minyan rather than participating until you can figure a way to control this too. If you do not davven in a minyan, experiment with it. Don’t just accept it as a necessary occurrence. Once again, look to control it.

With respect to meditation, keep the breathing natural and focus on gentleness. Meditation, in my experience, will have a positive effect on dreams.

In terms of your dreams, approach them with acceptance. Ultimately, all the worlds are connected. If your dreams are more “mundane” just note them and don’t put judgments on them. If they are troubling, try to figure out what they are telling you.

Gabbai Seth

Comment on So You Want To Learn Kabbalah by Viktor

Viktor — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:24:17 +0000

I would like to post a question. During prayer, usually I pray at night and morning, the viabrations are so strong in my body that my muscles begin to jump and goose bumps run up and down my body from head to toe. I am used to these sensations and in fact I more or less understand what they are. What confuses me is, when I meditate after prayer my body becomes frozen, a great pulsation of energy goes through my body continuously and a noise in my ears appears something like a low level Shhhh, reminding somewhat of when you put your ear to a sea shell. This noise also appears after prayer not just after meditation. I also have an idea of what this is, but my dreams sometimes are strange and I feel in my dreams that I am staying in the lower world and not ascending, these dreams are usually very materialstic and sometimes crude. I also don’t feel rested in the morning and when I wake up the sea shell sound is still in my ears and continues for hours.

So the stronger my prayers and sensations the worse I sleep afterwards, can you explain this and maybe provide some advice.