Coming Close to God

נמצאו 11 תוצאות חיפוש

Yeshayahu 54-55 - Matan Al HaPerek
Rabbi David Sabato
In Chapter 54, the Prophet Yeshayahu continues to console and encourage Zion. This time, the consolation involves a dramatic, impossible, transformation: from a barren, desolate woman to a beloved wife who is the happy mother of children; from a weak, destitute woman to a wealthy, secure lady.

Chapter 55 includes one of the most well-known prophecies about teshuva, one that is read on regular Fast Days. Throughout the prophecy, the idea of Divine awakening is interwoven with the idea of human awakening: God approaches man, and it is upon man to take advantage of this time of favor to come close to God through his teshuva (return).
Commitment to God
Rabbi Ezra Bick
Much of the content of Parashat Nitzavim, relating to the message of sin and punishment, seems to have been covered already last week in Parashat Ki Tavo. In what way does Parashat Nitzavim break new ground, and what can we learn from this about the nature of our covenant with God?
Commitment to God (Audio)
Rabbi Ezra Bick | 15 דקות
Much of the content of Parashat Nitzavim, relating to the message of sin and punishment, seems to have been covered already last week in Parashat Ki Tavo. In what way does Parashat Nitzavim break new ground, and what can we learn from this about the nature of our covenant with God?
Emotions at the Akeida
Rabbi David Silverberg
Akeidat Yitzhak: The Anguish of Avraham
Rabbi David Silverberg
The "Song to Counter Evil" - Psalm 91
Part 3
Rabbi Elchanan Samet
It was previously noted that principal dialogue is repeated twice. The similarity between these two exclamations is clear. In both cases the words are spoken in the first person; both testify to the speaker’s faith in God, and both feature the phrase, “hashem machsi” (God is my refuge).

However, the most significant difference between the two exclamations by the disciple is that the first is not a direct appeal to God while the second one is. Thus, the direct exclamation is a result and development of the dialogue between the teacher and the student in the first half of the psalm.

As the student comes closer to God, so too do the words of the teacher adapt to this new stage. In the first half the teacher tells the student how he will be protected from various dangers, while in the second half there are no dangers about which to worry due to an intimate relationship with God.

The salvation of the person who trusts in God, from all of the various enemies and dangers described in the first half, is a passive matter, while in the second half, we find an active victory of the man who trusts in God.
The "Song to Counter Evil" - Psalm 91
Part 4
Rabbi Elchanan Samet
Other chapters of Tehillim that speak of trust and deliverance usually address a present danger, and the worshipper’s trust in God’s deliverance stands him in good stead and brings about his salvation. What makes our psalm unique is that it does not speak of present, immediate threats; rather, it describes the various types of dangers that attack a person in this world. How can one develop an awareness that can deal with the perpetual danger facing him at every step and at every moment of his life?

A person must be aware of the existential dangers that surround him; he should not live under the false illusion that the world is a tranquil, safe place. On the other hand, this awareness should not embitter him or cause him to live in constant fear. Admittedly, the world is full of all sorts of dangers, but it is not ownerless: God watches over His creatures and treats each according to its needs. A person who trusts in God and makes Him his abode and his refuge will enjoy His protection from all of the dangers in the world. As his trust in God and closeness to Him grow, so God’s Divine patronage in his regard will assume deeper and broader significance.

To learn all of this, the disciple needs the guidance of his teacher – the other character in this drama, who is older and more experienced, who is familiar with the world and its threats, and who recognizes the Divine protection enjoyed by the disciple.

This confirmation of the teacher’s words is provided, for the benefit of the reader, in the form of God’s word in support and elaboration of what the teacher has said.
Behar-Bechukotai: God Will Not Be Repulsed
Rabbi David Silverberg
Mishlei - Part 11: Wisdom Before Creation
Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 40 דקות
The eleventh part of our series looks at the majority of the second half of the eighth chapter of Mishlei. This section contains some of the most philosophical parts of the book. We will aim for a literary reading, but our reading will bring out some philosophical ideas which we will see in context. We encounter the tension between the ideas that pride is antithetical to wisdom, but knowledge is power. We consider the concept of God as Creator and “acquirer” of the world, and relate it to the story of Malkitzedek and Avraham, who wanted God’s name to infuse society.

What does it mean that God created wisdom before forming the universe? The basis for coming closer to God is translating the wisdom that preceded existence into our reality. Once it plays out in reality, it becomes a delight to human beings.
Why Did God Reject Nadav and Avihu?
Rabbi David Fohrman |
In this week's parsha, we see the sudden and disturbing death of two of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu. In exploring the text more closely, what earlier Biblical story shows parallel themes and language to this story, and what is the meaning behind this connection?

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Bamidbar: Who Cares About Genealogy?
Rabbi David Fohrman |
In Parshat Bamidbar, we read a genealogy of the families of the nation of Israel - but isn't that kind of boring? In this video, we get a closer insight into some strange verses about Aaron's family, and Rabbi Fohrman gives us insight into what it truly means to be a teacher.

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