At 11:30 last night, b'ezras Hashem, Rav Shwartz, the author of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh seforim returned to Eretz Yisroel. It was a mind bending experience for many of us in many different ways, but b'ezras Hashem, everything should be ultimately toward the purpose of brining more Yidden closer to Avihem Shebashamayim, their Father in Heaven.
IY"H, over the next few days I hope to put up a couple more shiurim (Englewood from yesterday morning at Rabbi Zev Reichman's Shul & the Boro Park shiur). Also, I hope to slowly start putting up some feelings, thoughts and observations on the trip. Additionally, several of the shiurim were recorded on video and I hope to post those as well, especially the shiur at Rabbi Rudinsky's Shul on Sept. 11th, 2008 & the historic spur-of-the-moment shiur givin at Madreigos in Lawrence, NY, where the Rav bore his heart and told over the story of his own personal journey to the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Boca Raton Synagogue - Sunday night, September 7, 2008 - In this discussion, the Rav explains the need to find your true inner ratzon (will), in order to live your life according to what you really want. Although we know that the inner ratzon is to become close to Hashem, if we do not become conscious of it, we will not grow much through the many positive actions that we do. This idea was very new to several of the attendants, and you will hear how the Rav deals with their questions and challenges concerning this idea.
IY"H, over the next few days I hope to put up a couple more shiurim (Englewood from yesterday morning at Rabbi Zev Reichman's Shul & the Boro Park shiur). Also, I hope to slowly start putting up some feelings, thoughts and observations on the trip. Additionally, several of the shiurim were recorded on video and I hope to post those as well, especially the shiur at Rabbi Rudinsky's Shul on Sept. 11th, 2008 & the historic spur-of-the-moment shiur givin at Madreigos in Lawrence, NY, where the Rav bore his heart and told over the story of his own personal journey to the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Boca Raton Synagogue - Sunday night, September 7, 2008 - In this discussion, the Rav explains the need to find your true inner ratzon (will), in order to live your life according to what you really want. Although we know that the inner ratzon is to become close to Hashem, if we do not become conscious of it, we will not grow much through the many positive actions that we do. This idea was very new to several of the attendants, and you will hear how the Rav deals with their questions and challenges concerning this idea.
Boca Raton Girl's High School - Monday morning, September 8, 2008 - English Translation: Do We Want All of Judaism? - Many of us go through life without really thinking about why we are here and why we act as we do. This thought-provoking class urges us to take time daily to decide what we really want in life and adjust our lives accordingly. In the context of this discussion, you will learn why Rosh HaShanah is a joyous day that we should really anticipate.
Manhattan Ramat Orah - Monday night, September 8, 2008 - Topic: Living in Manhattan - English Translation- This very powerful speech compares our society to the dor hamabul (Generation of the Flood). Mistakes in attitude and behavior have been compounding for generations, and very few people realize how low we have sunk from the way life was meant to be. We need to rethink our whole way of life and make major changes if we really want to be proper Jews.
Madgregos Kollel Far Rockaway - Tuesday morning, September 9, 2008 - Topic: the Rav's personal journey to avodas Hashem - Includes simultaneous English Translation by Rabbi Reuven Boshnack - A MUST LISTEN! - We all know and believe that Torah and mitzvos are what life is all about, but do we really feel that these are what make our lives meaningful? Listen to the Rav's personal account of how he searched and grappled with these issues, and how he came to feel these truths in his own heart. He promises that we can get the same results as he did. Presented with English translation.
MTA - YU's High School - 10th Grade Shiur
MTA - YU's High School - 12th Grade Shiur
Ner Yisrael - Baltimore - Wednesday afternoon, September 10, 2008- Ner Yisroel- A yeshiva student is not only someone who learns Torah a good part of the day; he has a special bond with Hashem through his constant involvement in Torah. This involvement is not only a matter of spending a lot of time learning, but a process of developing the mind through intensive thought about Torah, even when not in front of a sefer. This shiur explains how any yeshiva student can achieve this state, regardless of special abilities.
Yeshiva in Carteret, New Jersey - Wednesday morning, September 10, 2008 - A yeshiva student must understand that Torah study demands a lifetime commitment. Otherwise, even while he is learning, he does not respect the fact that Torah is life, and that everything else is only as substantial as an image on a movie screen. Although in earlier generations, there were some talmidei chachamim who took off time from learning for other endeavors, nowadays, it is much more difficult to maintain proper yiras shamayim and a real connectiion to Torah if one mingles with the secular world.
Baltimore Bilvavi Chabura - at Shomrei Emunah - Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - Bilvavi Chaburah in Baltimore- Learn about the dual nature of Rosh HaShanah: a time to cry and a time when we must not cry, a time when we rise to the heavens and a time when we descend to the depths. Discover how Tisha B'Av prepares us for Rosh HaShanah and how our relationship to Hashem on Rosh HaShanah is very different from that of Yom Kippur. This shiur not only explains these issues, but also gives guidance for dealing with the inevitable ups and downs in our spiritual lives.
Ohr Somayach Monsey - Thursday, September 11, 2008 - Topic: Practical Steps for the post-Baal Teshuva stage
Ohr Yisrael Monsey - Thursday, September 11, 2008 - This brief class contains a treasury of guidance for the newly observant Jew seeking to fully adjust to a Torah lifestyle. The primacy of studying and keeping halachah is explained, including the outlook we should have on its importance. There is also a discussion of the need to study Torah in depth, with suggestions for enabling this study to fashion a new way of thinking that will truly make one an "insider" in Judaism.
English Translation: Rav Rudinsky's Synagogue Monsey - Thursday, September 11, 2008
Rabbi Rudinsky's Shul: Monsey - Thursday, 9/1/08 - Chazal (based on Tehillim) refer to Rosh HaShanah as keseh, the time of covering. This can be explained to mean that the new year must be built on top of a basis from the previous year, so that it covers the previous year and rises above it. In Elul, we must fashion this basis through at least intermittent periods of sensing Hashem's Presence, and then, in the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, we can achieve this sense constantly.
Shor Yashuv Far Rockaway - Motzoi Shabbos, September 13th, 2008 at Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv in Lawrence, NY
Shor Yashuv Far Rockaway - Motzoi Shabbos, September 13th, 2008 at Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv in Lawrence, NY
Far Rockaway Melava Malka - Melaveh Malka by Danny and Yaffa Moskowitz, Motzoi Shabbos September 13, 2008 - Topic: Explaining the inyan of telling over stories of Tzadikim on Motzoi Shabbos
Englewood - Sunday morning September 14, 2008 at Rabbi Zev Reichman's Shul - Simultaneous trasnalation by Rabbi Reichman
Boro Park - At Blumenfrucht family - Sunday evening, September 14, 2008 - English Translation: Do We Want Closeness With Hashem? - We know we are judged on Rosh HaShanah, but what is the difference between the judgment of the two days? In this class, the Rav explains that each day has its own kind of judgment, and that we should strive to be among those few who are judged on the first day. In the context of this discussion, we learn how our own hearts can serve the function of the Bais HaMikdash -- a resting place for the Divine Presence.
-Dixie Yid
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6 comments:
I'm waiting anxiously to hear your FEELINGS about this whole experience. Please let us hear.
The one about "living in Manhattan" was the best. Divrei yosher, that's it. KOL HAKAVOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!
Wake up people.
Thanks so much for helping to make these shiurim available to everyone!
I just wanted to point out that the link for the Yeshiva in Carteret shiur seems to be broken.
Anon 7:55:
I"YH, I'll post some thoughts over the next week or two. But thank you!
maks:
No problems. Thanks for saying thanks. :-) I passed on your obesrvation to the webmaster at the site where they are hosted. When I hear back and can get it fixed, I will. Thank you for pointing it out!
-Dixie Yid
Yasher Koach on posting the shiurim. Gevaldick!
Did you listen to the Ner Yisroel shiur?
There was on minute of the shiur which really threw me.
18:40 to 19:40. Rav Schartz seems to totally negate parnassa, almost outright compares
it to someone offering you money to drown. Which you would not take the money, of course.
I guess what I don't get is this, the Bilvavi seforim talk about how to live with HKBH. And it's an all encompasing idea.
But this minute of the shiur seems to say the only way to really live with Hashem is by being osek
in Torah and only Torah, and if you want to amount to anything you have to have kedusha, and that is only thru "asek hatorah". (listen at 19:20-19:40). The implication is how could one even think of working.
I thought Rav Schartz took more of the "chassidic" approach with a more expansive view of how one can be close to God.
Do you have any thoughts on this? Would be interested to hear.
Good shabbos
David,
Great question. Although he often takes a Chassidic approach, I think he very often speaks to each group of people in language that they can understand. He was speaking to Litvish Bnei Torah who are still in Yeshiva.
But you're absolutely right that what he is always teaching and what Toras HaBaal Shem Tov teaches is that we should live with and talk to the Ribbono Shel Olam with all of our asokim in life. And if our eisek is to work the majority of the day, we should not make that work ikar and our Torah tafel. But rather our Torah/avodah should be ikar, just an ikar that we are unable to spend the majority of our time on. And if we are unable to learn all of the time for reasons of money or inclination, then it is Hashem's lechatchila plan for us to bring Hashem into the work-a-day life.
-Dixie Yid
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