We need to appreciate the perpetual kindness that Hashem shows us, that allows us to exist, to choose, to rise up.  That’s Psalm 136.  But Psalm 135 speak of these same events not as demonstrations of perpetual – but distant – love, but as points of contact.  And what are those like?

Psalm 34 is a whole story about King David, and he was in a situation for which there was literally only one solution, and in order to find that one solution he had to do some work inside, hard work, but he managed, and left us a trail of breadcrumbs to find it ourselves.

We’re exploring the Psalms as templates of expression.  This one, with the help of R Hirsch and others, gives us understanding of the difference between perceiving G-d and acting on it.

When we cross over into a new stage – of life, of davening – we must fight the demons of our old stories.  This is a really interesting class – a lot of talk about hitbodedut, methodology, emotional relationship to Hashem, and more.

The transition between the asiyah section of morning davening and the yetzirah section – from the blessings and sacrifices to the Psalms of pesukei d’zimra – from the stuff of relationship to how we feel about it – requires a transition.  This is alchemy.

Why do a lot of people not like to do pesukei d’zimra?  People often come late to this part of the service, or skip it entirely.  And yet Rebbe Nachman says that this is what we’ll be doing pretty much all the time in the World to Come.  And we don’t want to skip that [...]

Melave Malka – a special time when we hold the holy and the profane together, when we can walk into the world accompanied by the clarity of Shabbat.

Shabbat is the vision, and during the week we are supposed to make the world look more like Shabbat.  And Havdallah is the transition – do it right!

The transition from the profane week to the holiness of Shabbat is so drastic, it requires some pretty heavy spiritual technology to make it happen.

The Talmud promises that one who has oneg Shabbes receives an inheritance without boundaries.  Rebbe Natan understands this literally – we inherit the capacity to go beyond the boundaries of time, space, and self, into a sea of bliss.  And how do you get there?  A little spinach.  Some fish.  A head of garlic.  Mix [...]