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The Quest for Brotherhood

by Yedidah on January 7, 2021

Joseph being sold to Egypt. The loss of brotherhood.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:20 — 17.8MB)

The story of Joseph and his brothers is a story filled with passion, anger and reconciliation. Most of all, it is a story that describes the search for and the development of the quality of brotherhood.

Interestingly, although other brothers have been described in the Torah, the quality of brotherhood has not, until now, been one sought for. Ever since Cain and Abel, the most that any pair of brothers has looked for is for the different brothers, Isaac and Ishmael, or Jacob and Esau, to part and go their independent ways in peace.

In contrast, all twelve sons of Jacob are called the 12 tribes of Yah. They all follow the path taught by Abraham, developed by Isaac, and brought to fruition by Jacob. Yet, they are twelve distinct individuals who each have their own way of serving God. We can see that from the blessings that Jacob gave each one of them before he died. It seems that it was these differences that were the main cause of contention between them. Joseph’s way of working for God was most suited for the end of the Tikkun, the time of redemption. Indeed his pathway is that of redeemer, as he redeems the land of Egypt and Canaan from the terrible scourge of famine. Judah, in contrast , believes that faith and prayer is the right way to serve God. They could not agree.

In the search for brotherhood, the brothers first have to develop the vessel for the light of brotherhood, that is, they have to develop the lack and the need in their awareness for brotherhood. This certainly occurred as a consequence of selling Joseph as a slave in Egypt. The Zohar tells us that fascinatingly enough the holy Shechinah, the Divine presence, agreed with this act!? Maybe it was because, as Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag teaches, no light may be attained unless there is the appropriate vessel for it. So in order for the light of brotherhood to be attained, first the vessel needs to be created.

Ultimately, all Israel needed to develop the quality of brotherhood between, not only all the members of one family, but between all the members of one nation, until we could all come to stand at Mount Sinai, to receive the Torah ” as one man with one heart.”

Rabbi Ashlag, in his great work, Matan Torah, teaches that the complete fulfillment of the Torah both then and now, is the same requirement. Of coming together as “one man with one heart.”

This podcast is dedicated in loving memory and for the ilui nishmat of Feigi Bat Rivka z”l and Aharon Kotler z”l and Sara Kotler z”l, May their memories be a blessing for us.

Yedidah Cohen is now teaching a new course on the Introduction to the Zohar, by Rabbi Ashlag. The group has already begun, but it is not too late to join. If you are interested, please contact Yedidah through www.nehorapress.com

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The Words, Letters, and Sentences that Make up our Lives

by Yedidah on June 19, 2017

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:38 — 14.4MB)

Why is it important to understand the language of Kabbalah? Many people learn about Kabbalah using terms such as light, Sephirot, the Tree of life, without really knowing what they mean. But this is a shame, because when we learn the meaning of these words terms accurately we obtain a precious key to the wisdom of our Sages, and to our own lives.

The light of God, the Creator, is one, One indivisible goodness. But we cannot grasp any aspect of it unless we want it.

Rabbi Ashlag the great Kabbalist gives this example:

Take a sefer Torah: The light is the white of the parchment. It contains all the wisdom of the Torah, But if it were not for the black letters, I would not know what this wisdom is saying to me.

Black is the absence of light. So the letters of the Torah, black ink on white parchment are actually absences of the light… yet the letters catch the light within their spaces. In our own lives when we lack something we yearn for it. It is our desires that make up the letters, words and sentences of our lives.

Our question today is, are the sentences we are writing today, truly reflecting our deepest desires?

By learning the words of the Torah and of the Kabbalah , accurately we can see our own desires, more clearly.

Today we look at the term zivug, which is the Kabbalistic term for the entry of light into the vessel and is also the term used for the relationship between a man and wife.

On a personal note I wish to give thanks to HaShem that after a long period of illness I am able once again to write and broadcast these short shiurim, and to my dear family and chevrutas who all helped me with their encouragement and prayers.

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Sounding our own Shofar

by Yedidah September 21, 2016

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:49 — 18.3MB)

The great light of God that comes into the world on Rosh Hashanah is identical to that which came into the world at the time of its Creation. But if we were to receive it “straight”, as it were, it would be dangerous for us. The shofar sounds the voice of loving-kindness and compassion, which clothes this great light so all the world may benefit from the light of God in its bounty and blessing.

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The Chanukah Candle Within

by Yedidah December 7, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:53 — 14.7MB)

Without the wick, the oil, and the vessel to place it in, the flame of the candle cannot light. Each of these three components have an inner equivalent in our service of God, with which we, too, can light our own inner flame. From the teachings of Rabbi Baruch Shalom Ashlag

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Acting out of the Box

by Yedidah March 6, 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:12 — 14.1MB)

Why can’t I sense my soul? Why is it that I don’t always feel like doing actions that I know are good and kindly? Rabbi Ashlag, the great Kabbalist, teaches us that we have awareness of the paradigm related to receiving but there is a fundamental reason why acts related to altruism seems unreal to us. How do we get to act “out of the box”?

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What is the Light, a Vessel, and a Sephirah?

by Yedidah January 24, 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:12 — 15.9MB)

In the Kabbalah terms like ” the light”, “the vessel”, “the Sephirot” are common. But these are often depicted in misleading ways such as in diagrams. Their real meaning is much richer and multi- dimensional as the Ari himself taught. and Rabbi Ashlag enlarged on.

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