Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Reflecting on Meeting the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh Mechaber by Shmuel

I recommend that you go on over to Shmuel's blog, Tikun! and check out his reflections on the shiurim he attended in Monsey yesterday (where we got to meet personally for the second time). Very kedai!

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Q&A Explaining Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh - R. Itamar Shwartz - Atlanta Drashos

A very special Yid in Atlanta wrote a Q&A to explain Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh and Rav Itamar Shwartz to those who have not yet heard or learned from him/it. Rav Shwartz is speaking in Atlanta today. More information on that available HERE. Enjoy!
Background on Rabbi Itamar Schwartz - Speaking Today::
A Very Special Q&A::

Q: Who Is Rabbi Itamar Schwartz?

A: He is an Israeli rabbi and author of the highly regarded “Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh” series (“In My Heart I Will Build a Mishkan”).

Q: Israel has many rabbis, lots of whom have written books. Why is this one special?

A: Because the book is really, really good.

Q: Elaborate please.

A: Do you mitzvot every day? Daven, keep kosher, light Shabbos candles, learn Torah, separate Challah… but find that the mitzvah itself only rarely brings a feeling of closeness to Hashem?

Q: Go on…

A: It’s likely because your mitzvot are separate from one another and no one has taught you to use them as the building blocks to construct a larger structure. A Mishkan in your heart.

Each Jew’s lifelong task isn’t just to serve Hashem at an intellectual level, but to integrate that service into our hearts. Once we learn to penetrate our hearts, we are meant to use our hearts to connect to our Creator directly.

Unfortunately, building that foundation for our personal Mishkan is something that very few Jews have been taught today - and that’s true of every community across the Jewish world. It’s a big part of why we often daven every day on “automatic” and our mitzvot can feel like individual bricks left lying around a construction site.

Q: Wait, I thought that I just had to learn something and then I knew it. You’re telling me that there’s a difference between intellectual knowledge and this more integrated knowledge that’s “in my heart?”

A: Yes. You can learn an idea in your head just by hearing it once, but it takes repetition and conscious exercise to teach yourself to react to that idea emotionally.

Q: You sir are describing my problem exactly, but I’ve read a lot of books that tell me to connect to Hashem. I don’t need more philosophy, I need to know how to go out and build a relationship with Hashem. Do the Bilvavi books teach me that?

A: They do their best to. Rabbi Schwartz gives very specific, practical suggestions for building this foundation.

The reason these books have been so enthusiastically received is because they are just about the only books to address this subject directly in our generation’s language. Reading them is one giant session of “Oh, so THAT’S how I’m supposed to be doing it.” Just remember, you have to actually do the exercises the books suggest or none of it will take root in you.

Q: Well, I’m sold. Where can I get more information before Rav Schwartz comes to Atlanta on Tuesday?

A: There is an active website devoted to the Bilvavi books at http://www.bilvavi.net/. In fact, most of the books are offered free on the site in their entirety. Just go to http://bilvavi.net/content/view/229/57/ to check them out.

Q: Great, I will click on that link right now, and then put this important event on my calendar. Thank you A. Thank you very much.
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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Monsey, NY - Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh Author Speaking Tomorrow!

Rav Shwartz, the Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha mechaber will be speaking at a Yom Iyun tomorrow, Sunday (May 30th - Memorial Day). See below for details!
The Rav will also be speaking in Atlanta, Boro Park, Lakewood, and Far Rockaway/Woodmere. Go to bilvavi.us for more information and to make a secure, tax-deductible donation or sponsorship.

Monday May 30th - Monsey - Memorial Day - Intensive Seminar 3:30, 4:45, & 6:00 (3 different shiurim) NOTE: 3:30 shiur with English translation - Men and women are invited – Ohr Somayach, Beit Shvidler Conference Center - Side Entrance 244 Route 306, Monsey, NY - Appointments available after. No charge for admission - $20 donation comes with your choice of a CD of MP3s of shiurim by Rav Shwartz or shiurim by Rav Moshe Weinberger teaching Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha - $200 donation comes with CD and sefer of your choice. Contact 914-645-4199.

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Friday, May 27, 2011

Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh Author in Flatbush This Sunday



Rav Shwartz, the Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha mechaber will be speaking at a Yom Iyun this Sunday (May 29th). See below for details!

The Rav will also be speaking in Monsey, Atlanta, Boro Park, Lakewood, and Far Rockaway/Woodmere. Go to bilvavi.us for more information and to make a secure, tax-deductable donation or sponsorship.

Sunday May 29th - Flatbush - Intensive Seminar 1:30, 2:45, & 4:00 (3 different shiurim) - Ateres Shloime (29th & K) - Men and women are invited – Appointments available before and after - No charge for admission - $20 donation comes with your choice of a CD of MP3s of shiurim by Rav Shwartz or shiurim by Rav Moshe Weinberger teaching Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha - $200 donation comes with CD and sefer of your choice. Contact 516-668-6397.

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Monday, May 23, 2011

Bilvavi Author in Flatbush, Monsey, Atlanta, Boro Park, Lakewood, & Woodmere/Five Towns

I am happy to announce that Rav Itamar Shwartz, the author of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh and Da Es Atzmecha seforim, will be in the U.S. next week and next Shabbos, right before Shavuos.

Please come to learn from the Rav at any of the events listed below. Sponsorships are still very much needed and appreciated to allow us to bring the Rav to the states.

You can make a secure online tax deductible donation/sponsorship at bilvavi.us.  Checks can be made out to "Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, Inc." and mailed to the organization at 888 Cambridge Rd., Woodmere, NY 11598. Shkoyach!

Please see below for the schedule:

Sunday May 29th - Flatbush - Intensive Seminar 1:30, 2:45, & 4:00 (3 different shiurim) - Ateres Shloime (29th & K) - Men and women are invited – Appointments available before and after - No charge for admission - $20 donation comes with your choice of a CD of MP3s of shiurim by Rav Shwartz or shiurim by Rav Moshe Weinberger teaching Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha - $200 donation comes with CD and sefer of your choice. Contact 516-668-6397

Monday May 30th - Monsey - Memorial Day - Intensive Seminar 3:30, 4:45, & 6:00 (3 different shiurim) NOTE: 3:30 shiur with English translation - Men and women are invited – Ohr Somayach, Beit Shvidler Conference Center- Side Entrance 244 Route 306, Monsey, NY - Appointments available after. No charge for admission - $20 donation comes with your choice of a CD of MP3s of shiurim by Rav Shwartz or shiurim by Rav Moshe Weinberger teaching Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha - $200 donation comes with CD and sefer of your choice. Contact 914-645-4199

Tuesday May 31st - Atlanta, GA - Four scheduled drashas. In the afternoon- separate drashas for seminary girls and then for yeshiva boys. In the evening at Beth Jacob - 1855 Lavista Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia: Men’s Forum 7:30-9:00 in Conference Room (preceded by mincha; followed by Maariv, in Kollel Bais Hamedrash) - Women’s Forum 9:15 to 10:15 in Heritage Hall

 Seforim and CD disks will be available for sale after all drashas. Sponsorships still needed. Contact: 404-290-8927.

Wednesday June 1 - Boro Park - 8:30 PM: Talmud Torah Toldos Yaakov Yosef Sqvare– 1373 43rd St. (men only) Sponsorships still needed. Contact: 516-668-6397

Thursday June 2nd - Lakewood • 8:30 PM: "The Avodah of Chodesh Sivan" @ Beis Medresh of Westgate, 49 Radin, Lakewood (men only) • 10 PM: Maariv followed by a drasha @ Cong. Shemen L'Mincha, 11 Engleberg Terrace, Lakewood. (men only) Contact 732-966-7743

Shabbos - June 4th - Woodmere & Far Rockaway9:30 PM Friday night Oneg Shabbos - Niggunim - at the Nudman's home @ 361 Sutton Pl., Woodmere (men only) • 8 AM Shacharis in Far Rockaway - 45 minute drasha after davening - Kahal Nesiv Hatorah – Rav Binyomin Forst: 636 Lanett Ave, Far Rockaway • Shabbos afternoon Drasha 5:40 PM in Congregation Aish Kodesh, Woodmere (men and women). Sponsorships still needed. Contact 516-668-6397

INTENSIVE SEMINARS (of three consecutive drashas) in either FLATBUSH or MONSEY. Men and women are invited. No charge for admission - $20 donation comes with your choice of a CD of MP3s of shiurim by Rav Shwartz or shiurim by Rav Moshe Weinberger teaching Bilvavi and Da Es Atzmecha - $200 donation comes with CD and sefer of your choice. For additional info please call 516.668.6397.

Picture courtesy of Tuvia Heller (See this week's edition of Mishpacha Magazine for the ad). Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Sefas Emes Project Available Online - English Explanatory Translation

My friend Rabbi Reuven Boshnack has made his sefer with an explanatory translation of selected pieces from the Sefas Emes and insights into the teachings available online.

You can pick it up at Lulu HERE. I have a copy and it is kedai. He should IY"H be coming out with another similar sefer on the Beis Yaakov of Izbiz. Exciting!

Picture courtesy of Lulu. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.