The Sefer Yetsirah says that there are 3 ways of expression: time, soul, and place. The Mitsvos express all the soul’s facets and dimension in precisely these three ways. The festivals are our inner expression onto the year, the soul’s kaleidoscope of it’s inner colours projected on the plane of time.
Sukos Meditation [based on the teachings of the Ari HaKodosh and the Alter Rebbe]
On Rosh HaShonoh, the sounds from the Shofar are a window to G-d; through hearing the sounds of the Shofar, the sound of Teshuvah, our consciousness basks in G-d’s Presence. As breath is blown into the Shofar, so new Divine breath breathes into creation; that new breath is the sound of the Shofar, the sound of renewal.
On Yom Kippur, we become those sounds of the Shofar, we become part of that Divine breath. As it were, we stand within the Shofar, the place called Teshuvoh, the place of renewal, that rarefied place called ‘לפני ד' – ‘before G-d’. Each Tefilloh on Yom Kippur corresponds to one of the five sounds of the Shofar: tekioh = Maariv, shevorim = Shacharis, teruoh = Musaf, shevorim-teruoh = Minchoh, tekioh gedoloh = Neiloh. We become renewed. We thus renew our contract, our relationship, with G-d.
As we enter the Succah on Sukos, we are surrounded by those sounds. Those sounds of the Shofar, our Tefillohs, are the ‘schach’ and walls of the Sukah. [- The gematrioh of סכך is one hundred, corresponding to the hundred sounds of the Shofar we hear on Rosh HaShonoh.]
As you sit in the Sukoh, imagine yourself surrounded by the ruchnios of all those Tefillos. Those קולות– the sounds of the Shofar and our Tefillos, combine to cascade all around you, in a kaleidoscope of indescribable beauty. You are sitting in Gan Eden, the world of souls, embraced by G-d.
Take a sefer, whatever it is, Mishnayis, Tehillim; learn and daven together with G-d. Speak directly into G-d’s Ear. Walk with G-d in this Gan Eden. Look into the ‘schach’ and look beyond, into the light of the Shechinoh.
A freilichen Yom Tov.
Sukos Meditation [based on the teachings of the Ari HaKodosh and the Alter Rebbe]
On Rosh HaShonoh, the sounds from the Shofar are a window to G-d; through hearing the sounds of the Shofar, the sound of Teshuvah, our consciousness basks in G-d’s Presence. As breath is blown into the Shofar, so new Divine breath breathes into creation; that new breath is the sound of the Shofar, the sound of renewal.
On Yom Kippur, we become those sounds of the Shofar, we become part of that Divine breath. As it were, we stand within the Shofar, the place called Teshuvoh, the place of renewal, that rarefied place called ‘לפני ד' – ‘before G-d’. Each Tefilloh on Yom Kippur corresponds to one of the five sounds of the Shofar: tekioh = Maariv, shevorim = Shacharis, teruoh = Musaf, shevorim-teruoh = Minchoh, tekioh gedoloh = Neiloh. We become renewed. We thus renew our contract, our relationship, with G-d.
As we enter the Succah on Sukos, we are surrounded by those sounds. Those sounds of the Shofar, our Tefillohs, are the ‘schach’ and walls of the Sukah. [- The gematrioh of סכך is one hundred, corresponding to the hundred sounds of the Shofar we hear on Rosh HaShonoh.]
As you sit in the Sukoh, imagine yourself surrounded by the ruchnios of all those Tefillos. Those קולות– the sounds of the Shofar and our Tefillos, combine to cascade all around you, in a kaleidoscope of indescribable beauty. You are sitting in Gan Eden, the world of souls, embraced by G-d.
Take a sefer, whatever it is, Mishnayis, Tehillim; learn and daven together with G-d. Speak directly into G-d’s Ear. Walk with G-d in this Gan Eden. Look into the ‘schach’ and look beyond, into the light of the Shechinoh.
A freilichen Yom Tov.