Living With G-d

SPIRITUAL TOOLS - Rosh Hashana, The Zohar, Rashi and You

dweiss — Sun, 5 Sep 2010 17:06:44 -0700

Dear Friends,

The Zohar looks at the Spiritual Dynamics of Rosh Hashana and likens it to the epic drama of Yaakov disguising himself as Esav in order to get the Blessing from Yitzhak. That in itself is fascinating, but when we fold in Rashi's understanding of the event and see how it all applies to us in a practical way as we prepare for Rosh Hashana, there is plenty to think about. Highlights include an understanding of our innate goodness and advice for dealing with feelings of guilt. Thanks to all for listening, for your beautiful emails, and may you be inscribed for a sweet and beautiful year!

- David Sacks

SPIRITUAL TOOLS - G-d is Not Waiting to Zap You

dweiss — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:17:02 -0700

Dear Friends,

Joy is the ultimate vessel. Nothing organizes the chaotic energies of life and allows you to have the perspective that joy brings. In this week's talk, we discuss the unique structure of the Torah portion of Ki Tavo which the Sages arranged we always read before Rosh Hashana. As we will see, the Parsha has a lot to teach us about how to prepare for the big day that is just around the corner. In this talk we also discuss the Divine mechanics of light, blessing and negativity -- dispelling common misunderstandings about what many people misinterpret as vindictiveness.

– DAVID SACKS

SPIRITUAL TOOLS - Judaism is Not an Organized Religion

dweiss — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:58:05 -0700

Dear Friends,

One of the big turn offs for many people contemplating G-d, is the subject of “organized religion”. It seems like making a connection with the Divine shouldn’t have to involve a large building fund, membership dues, and all the other headaches associated with a part of our lives that is so intensely personal. But a deeper exploration of Judaism shows us that it isn’t an organized religion in the classic sense at all. But if that’s the case, how do we cut through all the institutional red tape? I hope this talk is a start!

- Daivd Sacks

SPIRITUAL TOOLS - Expecting the Unexpected

dweiss — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:22:16 -0700

Dear Friends,

One of the most challenging things in life is doing the right thing when you are caught by surprise. If you don’t know when the moment is coming, how can you prepare for it? The Ishbitzer Rebbe, one of the deepest of the Torah Masters, steps out a fascinating approach based on love. In this week’s talk we hear his thoughts, based on the teachings of Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and tie it all into getting ready for the New Year.

– David Sacks

SPIRITUAL TOOLS – How You Feel is What You See

dweiss — Sun, 8 Aug 2010 16:41:16 -0700

Dear Friends,

Imagine trying to view a piece of art with smudged sunglasses. This is what so many of us experience when we view life. The art we are looking at is life, and the glasses we are seeing it through is our own feelings about ourselves. In other words, so often how we feel is what we see! In this week's talk we see just how far this concept goes, especially as we look into how to view the future.

– David Sacks