Thursday, September 10, 2009

Your help please with a letter

I am in the process of applying to several grants and foundations to help me
produce more translations and sefarim as well to start the Jewish Heritage
Experience

If any of you have benefited directly or indirectly in any way from the Noam
Elimelech or other work I have done or am working on and you wish to help
please read on

If you would be so kind as to email me or send by traditional (snail) mail
how and why this work helped you, inspired you or why you believe in what we
are doing and please email or mail me your
recommendation/support/endorsement letters this can be helpful to me in
securing funding to make these dreams a reality.

Letters can be emailed to chassidusonline@gmail.com
or sent to
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
10 Nachal Uriah St Apt 7
Ramat Bet Shemesh Alef, Israel

Thanks for all your help and support!
Wishing all of us a fruitful healthy and happy new year
Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
info@chassidusonline.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim

Dveykus III - the mystic quest

Sometimes I choose the siddur:

Which Siddur?

OK I admit it, I have a problem. I collect siddurim. Which do I use? Almost
all of them. Depends on my mood or Mochin gadlus or katnus - small minded or
expanded consciousness.

Keser Nehora - Berditchiver Siddur - I have two of them I recieved from my
Rebbe himself.
Ksav Ashuris - Ashurite Torah Script Siddur - This handwritten siddur is
always on my Rebbe's shtender.
Shela HaKadosh Siddur - Bach's Haskama says if you daven from it your prayes
will be answered. The Sulitza rebbe shlita (whom I was close to when I lived
in the US) uses this.
Rav Yaakov Emden - Yaabetz Siddur - I have my Rebbe's old one, I use for
Kiddush Friday nights (has his wine stains) My rebbe uses this for special
occasions, Seder Night, Shofar Blowing etc.
Arizal Siddurim - these are full of Kabbalistic Yichudim and Divine Names
(my Rebbe uses them during Shaking of the Lulav).
Toldos Aharon's Siddur - Standard Nusach Sefard, small size clear print and
has Shem Havayah with Shiluv Adon"y and Tefillos from rav Arele and other
Tzadikim
Biala Siddur - Also in Ashuri script, but printed as opposed to hand
written, easier to read, has interesting minhagim and commentaries
Ben Ish Chai Siddur and Lashon Chachamim - I used this one for years till it
fell apart and recite many of his tefilos
Avodas Elimelech - A siddur with Rebbe reb melech's commentray collected
from Noam Elimelech
Tzolasa D'Yisroel - A siddur with Baal Shem Tov's commentray collected from
many seforim

I switch off. But on a daily basis I use Keser Nehora - Berditchiver Siddur.
Sometimes I try to have in mind the kavanos.

Which Siddur inspires you?

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
info@chassidusonline.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Chassidus Wiki

Please participate in adding your own articles and editing the dynasties
listings so we can create the online Chassidus encyclopedia together!

http://chassidus.wikia.com/wiki/Chassidus_Wiki

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
info@chassidusonline.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Fw: Baal Shem Tov 1

 
My friend Reb BenTzion sent this to share with you all:

BS"D

Chai Elul 5767

 

Birth of the Baal Shem Tov

Day that the Besht revealed himself

Birth of Shneur Zalman of Laidi, The Alter Rebbe of Lubavitch

Day that Menachem Mendel shlita, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, compiled HaYom Yom

 

20 or so years ago I was driving somewhere and listening to a cassette of The Basic Principles of Chabad Chassidus, by Rabbi Shloma Majeski.  He was discussing Hashchocha Protes, or G-dly direction in our lives, when he illuminated the point by mentioning that the Baal Shem Tov was able to see G-ds hand directing a leaf blowing in the wind.

 

Just then, as I was driving and thinking about that incredible image, a leaf blew right across the windshield of my car!

 

And I thought WOW!  If the Bescht were driving right now, he would have been able to see Hashem directing that leaf.  So I leaned forward to see better, looking for the hand of Hashem.

 

Since then, I try to see Hashem's hand in all that happens to me and those around me and to view life as directed down to the smallest detail by the Abishter.

 

But I had questions: Hashem doesn't have hands like we know them: the use of the word hand is only metaphorical, to allow us to begin to visualize and comprehend Hashem who is totally incomprehensible to us (see Tanya).  Yet the statement that the Baal Shem was able to see the hand of G-d also has to be taken at P'shat face value.  He WAS able to see the hand of G-d.  But how?

 

We learn that in the time of Moshiach, (not immediately, but during one of the phases of the process) we will be able to see G-dliness in everything around us: in a blade of grass, a pebble, a piece of paper.  We will be able to see the G-dly spark in ALL material objects.  But when it says that we will be able to see the spark in everything, it means EVERYTHING…from the macroscopic level where objects have discernable shapes (i.e. it's a rock) to the microscopic where we begin to see things on the molecular level.  And beyond that to the nano… and beyond that to the nuclear level…both materially and spiritually.

 

Imagine an infinite zoom microscope that is focused on a rock.  You first hold the rock in your hand, it looks smooth and round.  In the macro all you see is a smooth stone.  When you place it in the microscope, as you increase the magnification you begin to see a cratered, pitted surface made up of striated bands of color.  As the magnification increase and we delve into the microscopic depths of the rock we are opened up to worlds within worlds until we get to the nuclear level where the rock no longer exists, all we see are swirling protons and electrons.

 

Now take this imagery to the spiritual plane.

 

If we look at a finite macroscopic object, we can see the G-dly spark that illuminates the stone and therefore it exists.  But each level of spiritual magnification reveals yet again G-dly sparks, but of a different nature…down to the nuclear level which again shows G-dly sparks as to that level.

 

But EVERYTHING contains G-dly sparks, including the air we breathe and which surrounds us. 

 

If we place a molecule of 'air' into our infinite zoom microscope construct, at some level, that molecule of air will be indistinguishable from the previous molecule of rock.  Not only that, but the dividing lines between what is rock and what is air will also be indistinguishable both physically and spiritually.

 

And this is how I believe we can begin to understand the P'shat of the statement that the Baal Shem Tov was able to see G-ds hand in a leaf blowing in the wind.

 

The leaf and the wind, on the most fundemental of spiritual (and physical) levels, are ONE with G-d and intimately connected to our Creator.  His Hand is present in all things, physical and spiritual; therefore the Baal Shem Tov was able to discern the Hand of G-d.  And if we keep trying….

 

Bentzion Ziskind Meltzer

Chai Elul 5767

Bentzion Meltzer
For more info and to subscribe:
Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
Bentzion Meltzer
www.besht-yomi.org
bentzion@besht-yomi.org

In honor of Chai Elul a story about Rav Chaim of Czernowitz

Once Rav Chaim of Czernowitz author of the Be'er Mayim Chaim fell critically
ill. He was bed ridden with a high fever, literally at death's door. In his
delirious feverish state he had a dream like vision in which he saw the
founder of the Chassidic movement the Holy Rav Yisrael ben Eliezer the Ba'al
Shem Tov zy"a.


Rav Chaim began to cry and plead with the Ba'al Shem Tov to entreat Heaven
for mercy on his behalf . The Ba'al Shem Tov asked Rav Chaim what merits he
had, that could persuade the Ba'al Shem Tov to ask on his behalf? Rav Chaim
answered him:


"My rebbe and teacher the Zlotshuver Maggid's custom was every Shabbos to
speak about the holy Ba'al Shem Tov and relate a teaching he had heard from
his mentor, a story or parable during the mystical third Shabbos meal of
Shalosh Seudos. Once, due to his intense passionate cleaving to G-d in
dveykus and rapture, my rebbe forget to do this and they almost brought the
Mayim Achronim water for him to wash before the Bentshing - the grace after
the meal, when I reminded him."


"If so," said the Ba'al Shem Tov to Rav Chaim, "then you have a complete
recovery." And so it was.
(Ma'amar Mordechai of Slonim #3 p101)

Elul 18 is the birthday of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of
Chassidism

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
info@chassidusonline.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim

Dveykus Part II - How

I became Frum because I was convinced Torah was truth.
I became Chassidish because I was searching for G-d.

How do I try to achieve dveykus?

It depends on my mood and my emotions.

Do I feel happy, sad, depressed, joyful, energetic, lethargic, bitter-sweet,
aflame, ecstatic, tired, burned out, excited?
Each feeling and emotion force me to try a new method:

Sometimes I use a siddur, and sometimes I close my eyes.
Sometimes I saw gently and Sometimes violently.
Sometimes I gesticulate and gesture and Sometimes I stand still like a stone
statue in awe.
Sometimes I daven silently with only my lips moving, and Sometimes with in
silence I scream.
Sometimes I chant tunelessly and Sometimes I sing a niggun in my mind.
Sometimes I daven fast and Sometimes slow.

Then come the dangerous questions:

(When) Do I sacrifice halacha for dveykus?
Do I go back and repeat words, or is that assur?
Do I chase away foreign thoughts or try to uplift them?
Do I meditate or daven?
Do I pray for solely for physical needs or spirtual ones?
Do I skip parts of the service to keep pace with the chazan or do I just
daven at my own pace anyway?
Do I add my own words (even in another language) to the davening or leave it
as is?
Do I daven in shul, or stay home and daven without a minyan for better
concentration and a slower pace?
Do I let zman tefillah or krias shema pass or even disregard and forget
about them completely?

What about preparation, tehillim, mikva, learning before davening and
davening before davening?

maybe there is too much I. Maybe my dveykus is a lie.
Is the quest for dveykus just the yetzer hara?
maybe I am chasing a dream.
Maybe I should just give up and daven like everyone else.
Or maybe that is the yetzer hara telling me to give up?

Do you give up? Sometimes I do...
Sometimes I dont give up, and just keep trying.


Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
info@chassidusonline.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim

Dveykus Part I

I was re-reading several posts on one of my favorite blogs here:

http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/2006/10/cross-pollination.html
http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/2006/10/therefore-any-connection-isnt-deep.html
http://asimplejew.blogspot.com/2006/10/others-admitted-it-was-lost.html

This is a topic that on the one hand I dont like to talk about because too
many times it involves personal feelings and emotions. One the one hand how
dare we challenge such great figures such as the Satmar Rav on his stance
mentioned in the above posts, or even the Rebbes of Chabad who felt their
divisions or understanding of Chassidus or their label of Polish or Chagas
was true?

On the other hand rather than challenge, agree, disagree or label,
(something I too am guilty of sometimes) I would like to try an exploration.
That is I would like to attempt to explore the heart and soul of personal
dveykus which as Rebbe Nachman was quoted is something so personal and
unique that often times we cannot even describe it to ourselves.

So instead of labeling or stuffing anything into neat boxes and ramming it
till it fits! I want to open my own experiences to my readers. Some of you
may readily dismiss this, others may feel that I am sharing something too
private, however I feel that there is no other way.

Too many of us have suffered as we seek Hashem alone. You are not alone, the
Ba'al Shem Tov's creation of Chassidus was an attempt to make sure that we
are never alone in this quest.

Who wishes to join me? Read on...


Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
Phone: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-54-842-4725
VoIP: 516-320-6022
eFax: 1-832-213-3135
join the mailing list to keep updated about new projects here:
http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim