The new month of Nissan is called "the eight days." This auspicious day comes after seven days of preparation, during which Moshe erects and disassembles the Mishkan—the Tabernacle. On the eighth day, the Mishkan becomes the spiritual edifice where the Shechina (Divine presence) resides in the world.  The month of Nissan represents the above nature dimension. The name Nissan means miracles, and during this month, we assume the above natural reality of love, joy, and compassion as our true selves. Join us as we discuss the inner meaning of the auspicious seven days, which we are in ..read more

B'H By Rabbi Amichai Cohen The Lecha Dodi is one of the best-known songs in Jewish culture. It is a song on Shabbat by all communities around the world. There are literally hundreds of tunes for this song.  For me, it brings back the special feeling of Shabbat, the tantalizing aromas of the Shabbat dishes, and the spectacular mountainous view of Tzfat, where it was written. The author of the song was one of the great teachers of the Kabbalah who ended up settling on the mystical mountaintop city during an era called the Golden Age of Tzfat. Who was this great teacher?    Exiled ..read more

  Watch and listen to this profound and important class on the roots of shame and how we may heal it. Shame is something we all have. In fact, it is part of our human DNA and is stamped deeply into our psyche. After the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam, the first man, was asked by G-d in the Garden of Eden, "Where are you?' Cain was asked after the murder of his brother Abel, "Where is Abel, your brother?"  Is G-d shaming us? Or is there another way of understanding shame? Is there a difference between negative and positive shame, and can we transcend negative shame? This week, we ..read more

Israeli society is embroiled in a passionate and crucial debate reverberating through the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. At its core lies the contentious issue of Charedi enlistment in the military—a topic with deep historical and ideological roots. This conversation is not new; it echoes a historic meeting between Ben Gurion and the esteemed Torah sage, the Chazon Ish, in the 1950s. During this encounter, the Chazon Ish emphasized the importance of a physical army and a spiritual force dedicated to Torah study for the well-being of the Jewish people. Ben Gurion, steeped in the narratives ..read more

  A deep dive into understanding life's journeys. The Torah portion of Pekudai culminates the book of Shemot-Exodus. The book begins by recounting the children of Jacob's descent into Egypt or exile. Yet this recounting is described by our Sages as an ascent or redemption.  At the end of the book, the Torah lists the details of the Mishkan-the Tabernacle, with the final words being: "For over the Tabernacle a cloud of by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the houses of Israel throughout their journeys." Regarding these words, our Sages point out that the pi ..read more

  The Zohar teaches that we are comprised of the spiritual higher self, which is called our "other half." We are also comprised of our lower ego-centric self. We are interested in uplifting the ego self by utilizing the power of choice and observation.  This Shabbat is the first of four special Torah readings that spiritually prepare us for the holidays of Purim and Passover. The Zohar says that it corresponds to the four-letter name of G-d. This week, we read the additional Torah portion called Shekelaim, or the half-shekel coin. This half-shekel was collected as both a census and a ..read more

  In this week's Torah portion, Ki -Tissa, we learn about the sin of the golden calf in which Moshe rises in prayer to the Creator to atone for this grave sin. It says Hashem (G-d) teaches Moshe THE prayer to annul the negative decree and atone for the sin. It is the 13 Attributes of mercy. The holy Zohar says that the 13 Attributes of mercy are compared to the various colors of the 13 petals of the rose, where there is a transformation of the attribute of judgment to the attribute of mercy. We find that the Prophet Micah also reveals the 13 attributes in a different way in his assertion ..read more

B"H By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen The great Chassidic masters say that the entire book of Psalms was Divinely inspired, and each person can find their challenge, joy, and triumph within this holy book written by King David. Since David is called "King of Israel," it means he had us all in mind when he became inspired to sing the ten forms of Psalms.  There is one unique see painting or picture which is displayed in many Synagogues throughout the world.  The recognizable image is the written-out shape of Psalm 67 in the shape of the Menorah- the Candelabra in the Temple. What makes this Psa ..read more

The Humble Altar of Earth: A Deeper Connection to Divine Presence By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen As we reflect on the awe-inspiring moment of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, images of fire, lightning, and the resounding echoes of divine communication fill our minds. It was a monumental experience, a convergence of heaven and earth that forever linked the two realms through the profound gift of the Torah. However, amidst this grand celestial spectacle, a humble yet significant detail emerges — the command to use an altar of earth for sacrifices to Hashem.   The Stark Contrast: In stark co ..read more

In this week's Torah portion- Yitro discusses the major moment for which the universe was created - the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.  The Zohar asks why the name of the Torah portion of which the Torah was given is called Yitro. After all, Yitro was a priest of idolatry. And not any priest. He was an expert on all forms of idolatry. If so, why is Yitro the Parsha in which the Torah is given? The Zohar explains. The intention of the world's creation is for God to be known in the world. Not just in the higher worlds but everywhere, especially in the lower dimension of reality. Within ..read more