Emuna Therapy

Today's Live Broadcast: Journey to Yourself

What brings meaning and purpose to somebody's life? Forty years ago I would have said:  to be a starting forward for the New York Knicks.  During my college years, it was about the freedom to do as I pleased; and, later on, when this nagging question got worse, I tried to comfort myself by thinking that I would find my ultimate satisfaction in being a psychotherapist...or so I thought.

I always admired people who were passionate about a mission or cause that was dear to them such as the civil rights movement and other types of humanitarian causes.  Even if they seemed quirky, naïve or fanatical, people who really believe in something, a cause which is greater than themselves, live with a broader more encompassing sense of purpose than someone who defines himself as a "therapist," a "lawyer," a "teacher," a fireman." As I studied these people, I found that most of them were ready to die for what they believed in.  

How does a person become a believer in something worth dying for?

Only when he leaves himself behind. It's when he forgets about himself that he starts to know something about his life's true mission. It's when he gets a reprieve from the perpetual knot in his head that he gets that bit of clarity and wisdom that enables him to "see." Knowledge about spirituality comes naturally to a person who lets it in.  He does not need to strain himself to achieve this knowledge. It comes from outside his "power of reasoning," it comes from beyond.  This is the subject of today's lesson. I hope you can join me!

G-d Willing we'll be broadcasting today's lesson live from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem at 5:00 PM Israel time. The broadcast, as well as my lessons posted are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in as follows: 10:00 AM in NY; 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 10:00 AM Mexico and Central Daylight; 3:00PM in the UK, 5:00 PM Johannesburg and Capetown, 5:00 PM Israel. G-d willing, we'll try and post a link to the lesson for all those who couldn't see it live by 12:01 AM Monday (Israel time). If you can't see the broadcast, you might need to download a new version of Flash Media player, which you can do here. We hope you enjoy the broadcast.

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

The Indivisible Bond

When we take the initiative to search for G-d, who is the essence of goodness in ourselves and our lives, then G-d will come closer and illuminate us with His light. This critical lesson is full of practical ways of finding G-d in your everyday life. I hope you enjoy it!

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Live Broadcast: Beautiful Smiles

There is no comparable thrill for a parent than the loving smiles of their children.  What is so compelling about a beautiful smile and what can it do for you psychologically and spiritually? This is the subject of today's live broadcast. I hope you can join me!

G-d Willing we'll be broadcasting today's lesson live from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem at 5:00 PM Israel time. The broadcast, as well as my lessons posted are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in as follows: 10:00 AM in NY; 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 10:00 AM Mexico and Central Daylight; 3:00PM in the UK, 5:00 PM Johannesburg and Capetown, 5:00 PM Israel. G-d willing, we'll try and post a link to the lesson for all those who couldn't see it live by 12:01 AM Monday (Israel time).

If you can't see the broadcast, you might need to download a new version of Flash Media player, which you can do here. We hope you enjoy the broadcast.

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

A Mother's Torah

 

This is the first in a series of exciting new lessons which show the beautiful "fit" between how healthy children develop physically, emotionally and spiritually at the same time. Learn how a mother's loving ministrations enable her new-born infant to develop into the spiritual giant he or she was meant to be.

With blessings for a great new week!

Dr. Zev Ballen

A Non-Conformist

In a world where so many people are so far from real happiness, a thinking person realizes that there is no choice other than living life differently than the great majority of people.

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

 

Reclaiming Your Past

The Raynauds are a family I recently worked with, who started off in a non-Jewish background. After a few years, they developed a spiritual thirst and they started exploring various options for getting closer to G-d, and ultimately, they decided they wanted to become Orthodox Jews. Anyone who knows anything about Orthodox conversion processes knows that it can take a long time. The couple spent months and years learning more about Judaism, until they got to the point of becoming part of the Jewish people.
 
When they finally got to the point of converting, they understandably wanted to disown and deny those parts of their personalities that enjoyed the activities they did before they got religious, like listening to non-Jewish music, or being sports fans. One of the pastimes that this couple used to particularly enjoy, in their previous life, was lifting weights and working out in the gym.
 
Fast-forward a few years, and this couple finds that one of their children is causing them a lot of sorrow, disappointment and pain. They couldn't understand why or how it's happening, because they barely had any non-Jewish music or literature or anything else in their home, yet their son is getting into all sorts of non-Jewish things. They were tearing their hair out, wondering where all the secular influences are comings from and what they can do to stop their son from being influenced. Continue reading here...

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Escape from the Box

photo by Louish Pixel

In the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem, there are so many people with amazing stories of what they were doing before they ended up in Rav Arush's yeshiva. Some of the students were five star chefs; others were world-class kick-boxers; there's professors and doctors and lawyers from top Manhattan law firms - and they gave it all up to come and study Rebbe Nachman's Torah in Israel. Why?

Because something, some message, some occurrence, hit them, and they all paid attention to what G-d was trying to tell them, and they acted on it.  Amazing things happen when we have the courage to act on the Heavenly messages we get. That's not to say that we go around making hare-brained or rash decisions. The correct approach is to...continue reading...

There's only one week left before Passover. These articles, by my esteemed colleagues will prepare you to enjoy the holiday to it's fullest:

Beyond Logic  By Rabbi Shalom Arush

Passover: Dread or Dream?  By Rabbi Lazer Brody

The Main Course  By Tal Rotem

Mess and Madness  By Racheli Reckles

Upstairs Downstairs  By Rick Eskenazi

EEEEEEmuna  By Rivka Levy

Shabbat HaGadol: No More Chains  By Rabbi Lazer Brody

Credit Cards: Two Sides  By Rabbi Berel Wein

Uplifting the Inner Animal  By Rabbi David Charlop

Blessings for a wonderful day!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Individuation

The process of finding our true identity and mission in life is the only way that our souls can feel deeply satisfied and happy. Here's what we need to do to get there.

Have a great new week!

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Today's Live Broadcast: Individuality

photo by Cree

Everyone needs to find their own true self and actualize their uniqueness, yet we also need to fit in with others and feel accepted. How we can accomplish this is the subject of today's broadcast. I hope you'll join me!

G-d Willing we'll be broadcasting today's lesson live from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem at 5:00 PM Israel time. The broadcast, as well as my lessons posted are Mac and iPod compatible. If you tune in too early to the live broadcast link, you'll be sent to the main page of the Breslev Israel website, so try to tune in as follows: 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 9:00 AM Mexico and Central Daylight, 10 AM EDT, 3 PM in the UK, 5:00 PM Johannesburg and Capetown, 5:00 PM Israel. G-d willing, we'll try and post a link to the lesson for all those who couldn't see it live by 12:o1 AM Monday (Israel time).

Every blessing,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Ready, Set, Married!

You won't want to miss this amazing story about the power of Belief. I heard it from my good friend Rav Dror Moshe Coussoto.

 

Maynard is about to take his entrance examination for medical school. He asked me how much time he should put into studying for it compared to his Torah studying. You can read my answer to Maynard in this week's copy of our Shabbos Parsha newsletter: Download CSC NL Week 12 Vayechi

Have a great Shabbos!

Dr. Zev Ballen