Awesome Phone Shiur
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Listen to the deepest Torahs and stories from the teachings of
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and Izshbitz, from the book "Lev HaShamayim" - given over by
Rabbi Nossen and Rebbetzin Channah Schafer in Boston
Live: 9 pm - 10:00 pm EST
Call (641) 715-3300
Conf code: 818022#.
Recorded: Listen anytime! Each class is recorded and available until the next shiur, which will replace it.
Playback Number: (641) 715-3412
Access Code: 818022#
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Weekday Shiur on Likutei Moharan - presented by Reb Yedidyah Blanton
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Our own Reb Yedidyah Blanton teaches lessons from Likutei Moharan, the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Every Sunday night
8:00pm - 9:30pm
at Reb Shalom Yakov Mann's home:
1037 South Sherbourne Dr.
LA 90035 (between Olympic and Whitworth)
(There is no charge for this class!)
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Always in Our Prayers
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Please daven for the immediate
safe return of
Gilad (ben Aviva) Shalit;
Zachary (ben Miriam) Baumel;
Tzvi (ben Penina) Feldman;
Yehuda (ben Sarah) Katz;
Ron (ben Batya) Arad
and
Guy (ben Rina) Hever
as well as for the safety and success
of all of Israel's soldiers,
and the immediate release of Yehonatan (ben Malka) Pollard.
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The
Happy Minyan Schedule for This Shabbat
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Friday, 6/5
Plag HaMincha (early Candle lighting):
6:32 pm
Candle lighting:
7:44 pm
Mincha:
6:00 pm
and
7:30 pm
followed by
Kabballat Shabbat and Maariv
Saturday, 5/23
Shacharit:
9am - 12:00pm-ish
followed by Kiddush
Mincha:
7:20 pm
followed by
Seudah Shlishit and Maariv
Havdallah from:
8:46 pm
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Happy Minyan Newsletter - Kol Sasson
Parshas Naso |
June 2009 |
Greetings!
"Kol Chevra" is an organization that is dedicated to perpetuating the legacy of Shlomo Carlebach that annually publishes a compendium for Reb Shlomo's Yahrtzeit (16 Cheshvan) with memoirs and recollections on how Reb Shlomo influenced and inspired the lives of
the "Chevra"; Memorial Pages of those whose lives were motivated,
awakened and exalted by Reb Shlomo; Announcements of life cycle events;
Insights, writings and recordings of original work of the "Chevra" who
are carrying on the legacy of Reb Shlomo by developing new commentary
and relevancy to his life and works.
So here's the latest from Kol Chevra:
Announcing the beginning of the new 15th Issue of Kol Chevra:
Moments, Tikun, and Vision
Dedicate your articles, we want to give our chevra honor!!
Please send in Reb Shlomo memories, stories, your Torahs, Reb Shlomo Torahs,
poetry, photos, mazal tov announcements (with photos, especially
babies!!!), condolences, and of course your ads. Keep the articles short, 2-3 pages, and send them right away!!
Thank you,
Emuna
emunawitt14@yahoo.com
050-862-9040
This fabulous compendium is read by hundreds of Reb Shlomo "Chevra" all over the world - hope you pick one up in the fall, and even better, hope you are able to contribute to it as well.
Wishing One and All a Shabbat Shalom
Rachel Espana
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Happy Minyan News & Upcoming Events
* Summer Schedule for Friday night!
We have two minyanim for Mincha / Kabbalat Shabbat at our regular davening location:
An early minyan will start at 6:00pm (sharp!) and, a later minyan (after candle-lighting) will start at 7:30pm. Early minyan'ers should please be sure to be on time so that the second minyan is not delayed.
* Moshav - Melave Malka Concert at the Happy Minyan
First post-Shavuot concert - Join in the SIMCHA...
Mitzvah g'dola lihiyot b'simcha TAMID!!
It's a big MITZVAH to be happy ALWAYS!!
Bring your friends to the Happy Minyan
and Get Happy with MOSHAV : )
MOSHAV Band 
playing THIS Saturday nightJUNE 6TH10:00 pm at the Happy Minyan$15 ($10/Students)
* Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum is coming to Los Angeles:
Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum BRESLOV Rabbi & Director of AZAMRA www.AZAMRA.org Los Angeles - June 10-16 - Schedule
Wednesday - June 10 - 7:30 pm
The Anatomy of Hatred
- Insights from Kabbalah and Chassidus into the current waves of
anti-Semitism: The enmity of the serpent, the hatred of Esau, Likutey
Moharan 1:69
1532 S Durango, LA 90035 - $15 suggested donation
Thursday - June 11 - 7:30 pm
The Kabbalah of Music - Concert & Teaching with special guest - YUVAL RON (www.yuvalronmusic. com ) - Saban Theater (8440 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills)
$25 at the door/$20 Advance Purchase: 323.655.9900
SHABBAT - June 12-13 - Happy Minyan
· Friday
night dinner - Private dinner (Pico Robertson) - info, price, and address upon reservation - 310.741.8359
· Shabbat Services - with the Happy Minyan - 9am (9218 W Pico, LA 90035)
· Kiddush following davening. Mincha & Seuda Shlishit - 7:25pm (followed by Maariv)
Sunday - June 14
· Hisbodedus Nature Walk - Franklin Canyon - meet at Coffee Bean (9541 W Pico) 9:40am - leaving @ 10 am sharp!
· The Kabbalah of Money
- Lean times have forced many to make fundamental changes in attitudes
to money, livelihood, wealth and lack. We will explore Torah guidelines
based on Kabbalah and Chassidut about how to cultivate healthy
approaches to making a living, getting money matters in the proper
perspective and enjoying what we have. @ Jewish Learning Exchange - 512 N La Brea 7:45pm $18 at the door/$15 prepay: 323.857.0923
Mon - June 15 - 7:30 pm
Songs of Shabbat
- A piano recital of traditional chassidic Shabbos melodies with
commentary on their origins and how we can use them to enhance the
Shabbat experience and draw joy and energy into our daily lives. 134 S Formosa, LA 90036
$18 suggested donation
Tues - June 16 - 7:30 pm
The Master of the Field: Rabbi Nachman on Suffering - Likutey Moharan I:65 Class to be held outdoors. 1561 Roxbury, LA 90035 - $18 suggested donation
BOOKS will be AVAILABLE for purchase
RAV GREENBAUM is AVAILABLE for PRIVATE CONSULTATION
For MORE INFO - DIRECTIONS - RESERVATIONS:
Call - 310.741.8359
Visit Rav Greenbaum's website www.AZAMRA.org to see the amazing work he does.
Your support is a vital part of the success of Azamra!
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Parshas Naso - Birkas Kohanim from Reb Shlomo
- Rav Sholom Brodt, Rosh Yeshiva of Simchas Shlomo
"Birkat Kohanim" - The Priestly Blessings
In this parsha we learn that Hashem gave Aharon and his sons the
mitzvah of blessing the children of Israel, with the three priestly
blessings - known in Hebrew as "Birkat Kohanim":
"And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying. Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying. 'In this way you shall bless the children of Yisrael, saying to them:
"Hashem shall bless you and protect you.
Hashem shall shine His face to you and give you grace.
Hashem will raise up His Face to you and will give you Shalom-peace."'
And they shall put My Name upon the children of Yisrael, and I will bless them."
[Bamidbar 6:22-27]
The following teaching by Reb
Shlomo explores the depths of these blessings. Apparently he was basing the
lesson on the teachings of the Ishbitzer Rebbe. I do not know when this lesson
was given and the recording is not of excellent quality; so here and there I could
not make out Reb Shlomo's exact words [indicated by ~ ~ ~ ] - nevertheless I
tried to be as faithful to the original as possible. This transcript is not to
be used for commercial distribution without permission from the family:
I want to share with you [a teaching] from one of the
greatest Rabbis in the world:
Yevorchecha Hashem - Hashem should bless you
"breicha" means a pool - a big pool
what is the problem with most people
the inside of our heart is so closed
the inside of the inside is so closed
my 'pool' is not open for blessings
my pool is not open for what G-d wants to give me
to receive what G-d wants to give me
ok let's take a mother and children a father and children
sure I want to give my children a peanut butter sandwich
and I want them to have a good time
but there is something
I want to give them so deep into their heart
but this can only be received by the deepest deepest depth of their heart
if G-d forbid, if this deepest depth, if this pool is closed
there is nothing I can do
...
So this is so beautiful
G-d wants to give us so much light
but that light can only fit into the deepest deepest pool of the heart
into the deepest deepest depth
this is so beautiful
the priests are blessing Israel
the first thing is that G-d should open your pool [to receive
His gift]
the next part of the blessing is
"v'yishmerecha" - and He
should guard you ~ ~ ~
[it's a blessing that a door should be open
but sometimes it also has to be closed]
like a pool it needs to be opened to receive
and it needs to be closed not to lose it
~ ~ ~
sometimes we have such a high moment
such as Yom Kippur
every Jew on Yom Kippur is mammash an angel ... right?
we're reaching the highest levels
it's a gift from heaven
but what happens the next day? what happens then?
like a swimming pool if you don't close it the water runs right out
so the priests are blessing us
'yevorechecha' - G-d should open that inside pool
the deepest pool of your heart
'v'yishmerecha' - and He should bless you
that you should know the truth
that you got it
~ ~ ~
you know ... imagine I walk down the street
and I hear this Rabbi say "G-d loves you"
mammash sweet and it touches me
and the next day I don't remember it
you know why?
because it was not a message just for me
yeh I know G-d loves everyone
you know when I keep something very deep?
when it's just for me
~ ~ ~
so [the Ishbitzer says] what's the greatest blessing in the world
that you should have a taste that it's just for you
~ ~ ~ that you have a private connection [with Hashem]
even as a Jew you can keep all the laws in the world
you can be a good man a good woman
if it's not just private
if it's not this private deepest deepest connection to G-d
it won't last
you know I can keep Shabbos all my life
but it's not my Shabbos
you know [says "v'shamru b'naui Yisrael es haShabbos} l'doiroisom"
you have to keep Shabbos in "your house"
it has to be your Shabbos
his Shabbos [~ ~ ~ if you are keeping someone else's Shabbos, it] wont last
[it has to be] my daavening my pair of Tefillin my Tzitzis right ~ ~ ~
then it says that "G-d should shine His face upon you" ~ ~ ~
listen to what the Ishbitzer says it's so beautiful
listen to me [when I give a gift to a woman I love]
I watch her while I'm giving her the gift
if she looks at the gift while I'm giving her the gift
maybe she likes me [but]
she doesn't really love me
if she really loves me she doesn't look at the gift
she looks at my face
the gift is just a sign that I love you
you know 'where' am I giving her the gift
with my eyes with my face
so the second blessing is
the priests say it's not enough that you receive G-d's blessing
I want you to have the privilege to receive the shine of G-d's face
don't look at the gift
look at the face of G-d
Ya'eir Hashem panav eilecha
G-d should shine his face upon you
you know how deep this is ... gevalt it is
so deep
you know I can study the Bible and look at the words
which is beautiful right?
but while I'm looking at the words I can mammash see
G-d's face shining into me
different word different learning different Shabbos
and then "vee'chuneka" - He should give you grace
friends I don't know what you think grace is
but forget what you know what I know
let me tell you what the Ishbitzer says
grace is that ... what would you say 'a person has "chein" right
you know what "chein" means
that this person asks you for a favor
and you have to do it
[but] you don't know why you're doing it
there is something about this person
not that they're so beautiful not that they're so perfect
sometimes there are people
they may not be so handsome they may not be so clever
they have something .... right?
you just want it
you want to do anything for them
you know what that means
in heaven sometimes G-d can judge me if I deserve it or not
but even with G-d the priests bless me you should have "chein" by G-d
you should have something in your soul which is so precious
that He'll do it for you
I don't ask if you deserve it
now listen to how deep this is
you know I can give my child a gift-
'you were so good last week I'm giving you a gift'
how does it sound to you - sweet
but then suddenly my child thinks
I'm giving them a gift because they deserve it
but a gift is not 'deserving'
a gift means 'I don't know if you deserve it'- it's so much deeper
my connection to you is not because you deserve it
my connection with you is because I'm so deeply connected with you
that there's nothing in the world I wouldn't give you
the second blessing is that I should have the privilege of seeing G-d's face
and I should have the deepest privilege of realizing
that G-d doesn't give me anything because I deserve it
I hope I deserve it a little bit but that's not why G-d gives it to me
G-d gives me everything just because
because of "chein" - unbelievable depth
unbelievable just "I love you so much"
then comes the third blessing
"Yisa Hashem panav eilecha - G-d should lift His face to you
v'ya'seim lecha shalom"_ He should give you peace
this is mammash awesome- you know what I would like to be
when G-d gives me a gift
G-d is up there and I'm down here- right?
it's awkward
the priest says G-d should lift you up so high for ~ ~ ~
you know imagine I have a kittle boy, a little girl
I could stand up six foot four and they are just so tiny
and I just stand up there and I give it to them
or I could just sit down on the floor
and be on the same level as them and give it to them
it's so much deeper ... right?
so please G-d for that one second when You give me a gift
please [can] You and I be on the same level?
just so close to each other right?
~ ~ ~ the biggest boundary is [between
finite and infinite]
... we are just human beings and G-d is G-d
but the priest blesses me - for one second let's just be one
'Yisa Hashem panav" G-d should lift
me up for one second
we should be on the same level
now listen to me
"v'yaseim lecha Shalom" - G-d should give you peace
this is the deepest depth
you know if I make peace with somebody - husband and wife
especially with people who argue
you think you can bring peace by arguing?
you know what you have to do?
you have to lift yourself up to a high level
lift yourself out of this hole
you cannot go into the same place where you were fighting and make peace
it has to be in a different place a different space
so it says "v'yaseim lecha Shalom" -
He should give you the privilege of bringing peace to the
world
that means whomever you meet
for that moment lift them up to a high level
... you know people love you the most when just lift them up a little
even one inch two inches
and you see there will never be peace in the world
unless they lift up the world to a different space
an argument which brings war cannot bring peace
... now he says the deepest depths
you know peace comes from such a high place in heaven
comes from such a high place in heaven
that your vessels really have to be pure for that
mammash your vessels have to be absolutely fixed
"v'yaseim lecha Shalom" - G-d should fix your
vessels
that the great great blessing of peace
should be able to find vessels in your heart
Amen!
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 Riding the Peace Train, and
G-d Bless You in Naso
This week's
Parsha has the instruction for the blessing the Kohanim (priests) bestow upon the Jewish People - Birkat Kohanim.
(Bamidbar 6:23-27)
Why are the Kohanim the ones chosen to bless the Jewish People?
Let's see if you can follow this (peace) train of thought:
The Kohanim are the descendants of Aharon, the original Kohain.
The Mishna (Pirkei Avot) describes Aharon as one who loves peace and pursues
peace (and tells us all to be like this).
Thus the ones giving over the blessing are, as their holy ancestor, the
paradigm of peace.
Further, as we discussed earlier in Parshat Emor, the Kohanim are public
servants. Their entire job is to serve the people. Greater than any
other blessing that they can provide for all of us is the blessing of
peace.
The Midrash Sifri says that all other blessings - health, sustenance, etc. -
are worthless without peace.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that peace is the container that holds all other
blessings.
The word Shalom - peace - has the same root as the word Shalaim - whole /
complete. Peace is not only the lack of fighting in the world. It
also is being at peace with the world.
The final words of the blessing of the Kohanim are for peace "...and may
He establish peace for you."
Even our own prayers (in our siddurim) conclude with a prayer for
peace.
Peace is everything.
After the conclusion of the blessing is something very powerful. G-d says
to the Kohanim "And place My Name on the Children of Israel and *I* will bless them." After
all that, G-d will bless us! Yes, the Kohanim are the perfect vehicles
for the blessing, but it is G-d Who actually blesses us.
When G-d commands the Kohanim regarding all this, He does start off by saying
"thus shall you bless the Children of Israel." So the Kohanim do
technically bless us, but with G-d's blessing, not their own. They bless
us by uttering the words G-d instructed. G-d is the Source of all
blessings, as we say in every blessing that begins "Baruch".
Who isn't hoping for peace and praying for peace with all their hearts?
We all want Shalom, and we all need it. If you ask people how we can have
peace - inner peace, peace in Israel, peace among Jews, peace in the world...
they will probably all have good and thoughtful answers. And if you ask
enough people, you will probably get thousands of different answers, how to
achieve peace.
But as we are told here in the Birkat Kohanim, we should be blessed by those
who emulate peace, and then it is G-d Who will bless us with peace.
May we recognize the Source of all our blessings, and may we merit true peace
in Israel and the world.
And in the words of the Birkat Kohanim:
Yevarechecha HaShem Veyishmerecha. - May HaShem bless you and keep you.
Yaer HaShem Panav Ailecha Vichuneka. - May HaShem illuminate His Face upon you
and be gracious to you.
Yisa HaShem Panav Ailecha Vyasaim Licha Shalom. - May HaShem lift up His Face
upon you and establish peace for you.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rachel
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 David Sacks teaches every Sunday at 10:30 am
at Mogen David, 9717 W. Pico Blvd
You can also listen to David Sacks online anytime by down- loading his Torah on iTunes, or you can read some of his best articles - check out his fantastic site Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World.
Dear Friends,
Getting out of bed in the morning for many of us is the most
challenging part of the day. The Torah teaches us that we have to
arise in the morning like a lion! In this weeks, talk we look into
what that means and how to do it. |
About Happy Minyan - Los Angeles
Please join us for davening every Shabbat!
Friday night: (Summer time) Early services begin at 6pm. Regular Mincha begins at candle-lighting time, followed by Kabballat Shabbat and Maariv.
Saturday morning: David Sacks' class begins at 8:30am, followed by Shacharit at 9am, then Torah reading and Musaf. There is a Kiddush after davening at around 12pm.
Saturday afternoon:
Mincha and Seudah Shlishit are usually around an hour and a half before
Shabbat ends and followed by Maariv and Havdallah at the conclusion of
Shabbat.
We also meet for davening on all major Jewish holidays.
The Happy Minyan is located at
the Karate Academy
9218 West Pico Blvd (at Glenville)
Los Angeles, California90035
Good Shabbos! Good Shabbos!
The Happy Minyan
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