Monthly Archives: August 2013

Hour Long Psalm Prayer Session Today for Peace in Israel!

Just an hour after this picture was taken at noon this afternoon, the Churva synagogue was filled to the brim with school boys and neighbourhood residents all called together to recite psalms for more than an hour, in lieu of the potential strike by Syria and our enemies.

On the other side of the city, hundreds stood in line for hours, unsuccessfully trying to get their gas masks just as a precaution in the event of a strike.

Meanwhile, all was quiet and serene at the Western Wall.

People are always in a good mood and easily taken into a talk about spirituality here.

The month of Elul is in the air. We jump from Torah class to class, each with another idea about what is the best thing to try and fix in our character traits and Divine service in the last few days we have left until judgment day (Rosh Hashanah).

I sat at the Western Wall this morning and in business-like fashion, wrote out a list of all the possible things I could have done wrong this year, and all of the possible people I could have wronged this year. As I spoke aloud what I did and that I was truly sorry for it and never wanted to do it again, I crossed it off and went to the next, making sure to feel that it impacted my heart. I then went home and wrote a very difficult apology letter to a person I knew was upset at me (even though I quite honestly felt that I was the one who should be getting an apology). I attempted to get into her head-space and justify her, even if I technically did not have to.

When my kids got nervous today after their prayer session, I said they could take comfort in doing one thing to make shalom (peace) between them and each other in our home, so the Holy One will emulate us and make peace with our enemies.

I implore each one of you who reads this to do the same. Do one act to make peace with another person who feels either that you have wronged them, or forgive someone who you feel has wronged you. Even if you are right. Do it for the sake of the peace of the world. Making peace is greater than doing repentance. Maybe it will be in your merit.

With blessings from Jerusalem,
Lisa

Special Prayers at Rebbe Nachman’s Tomb in the Ukraine!

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I am writing to you from the holy Old City after just having visited
the Wall. What an amazing experience it always is to feel so close
and so peaceful. This time of year, before the Jewish New Year of
Rosh Hashanah, is especially powerful here. Every moment and incident
is a gentle, yet clear message from Above to correct and to guide us
into a better and more aligned New Year.

Of course, our job here is to use every possible spiritual resource
available to help you in your goals. So, we have decided once again
to send our prayer agents to Rebbe Nachman’s tomb (kever) in Uman,
Ukraine on the day before (Erev) Rosh Hashanah.
Jewish sources say that when a righteous person dies, s/he has merits
in the upper worlds that s/he can use to help those in this world.
Some of these righteous people, before their deaths, declare publicly
that they will help people in certain ways if one comes to their tomb
to pray. They use their merits to influence the Lord’s judgment on
our behalf, just as Moses did on behalf of the Israelites during
these same 40 days.

One particularly righteous person – Rabbi Nachman of Breslov –
declared before his death that he had extra abilities to help people
who come to his tomb on the day before Rosh Hashanah and recite the
entire Tikun Haklali (10 specific psalms said in a specific
mystically-significant order). He is buried in the small town of
Uman, Ukraine.

Based on the results of so many prayers there, thousands of people
make the pilgrimage to this spiritual place every year. This year,
some of our Biblical scholars are traveling there and each has
offered to say the entire Tikun Haklali at the Rabbi’s tomb on the
day before the Jewish New Year (September 5th), exclusively for your
prayer request. This means that they will say just your prayer
request, then the entire 10 psalms, so that your prayer gets the full
attention it deserves.

It is an opportunity that Shira and I are personally excited to
access ourselves.

A modest $36 donation is requested in return, to help cover the costs
of the trip to the Ukraine.

Tell your friends!

Pray for Me at the Holy Rabbi’s Tomb in Uman!

With blessings from Jerusalem for health, happiness, fulfillment and
abundance in all things good,

Lisa

Congratulations to the Heizler Family!

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