Emuna Therapy

Perfect Bliss

Rabbi Nachman says something amazing. He says that there is a powerful force in the world that is gradually pulling everything back to it's Source in Hashem and when a person lets himself or herself flow with and become aligned with that invisible force, you will make your soul very happy.

When we take a minute to think about nice stuff, we're also jumping onto that path that is carrying us and all created things back to our Source. 

Hashem is everything that ever was, is , or will be good and sweet. Hashem is joy, calmness, nostalgia, warm memories, pleasant feelings and much more! Remember, Hashem also loves to 'hide' in the mundane. So the next time you feel a bit of pleasure from seeing your kid doing something silly in the mirror, or you hear your spouse humming a tune while doing a chore. STOP AND THINK: "This is Hashem!" The next time you feel nostalgic while you flip through some old photographs: STOP AND THINK: "This is Hashem!"

Now is the moment that your loving Creator is beckoning to you to join Him as he leads His whole creation back to it's perfected state of bliss.

With blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Live Broadcast: The Indivisible Bond

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said about himself before he left this world: "During all the days when I was in this world, I was bound together with the Holy One, Blessed be He, in a single, indivisible bond, and now as a result of my attachment to him, His desire is for me."

So too with each of us. If we will take the initiative to search for G-d, who is the essence of goodness in ourselves and our lives, then G-d will find ways to be close to us, and He will illuminate us with His light. This is the subject of today's live broadcast. I hope that 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

Clean Slate

As soon as we decide, in this moment to start again, for real, and Hashem sees that we mean business and truly want to make a brand new start, He wipes our slate clean and makes our evil inclination depressed instead of us. 

Hashem sent me this just in time for Purim. I really loved making it. It's my gift to you. Have a wonderful Purim and be happy, always!!

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Fatherly Love and Purim

Here's a heartwarming clip, just in time for Purim, about a father and son who were worlds apart for twenty years. Hear how they breakthrough their differences and developed a relationship of openness, love and trust.

This message of togetherness is the essense of the holiday of Purim.  I heard the following from Rav Dovid Ostroff. The S'fas Emes says that when B'nei Yisroel (the Jewish people) are united, Amalek (Haman) does not have a hold on them. It is when they are separated and don't have unity, that the enemy can attack them. Haman told Achashveirosh to wipe out the Jewish nation, to which he replied that he cannot, as all nations that attempted to do so were wiped from the face of the earth. Haman countered that the Jews were not unified. 

So Mordechai said to gather them, make unity amongst the Jews, and they became unified because Mordechai showed great love for them even though they partied with Achashveirosh and bowed down to idols (which he had warned them not to do). 

Our unity is our strength, and the removal of our arrogance, which puts walls between us is our main task. 

When the Jewish people saw how much Hashem loved them during their time of strife and despite their not behaving themselves they accepted the Torah with a total love that they didn't have when they "received it" on mount sinai out of fear.

We only know someones true love for us when we see them demonstrate it in hard circumstances.

It will be our total and love and acceptance of each other that will make the future ge'ulah (redemption) so magnificent that it will dwarf the nissim (miracles) of yetsias mitzrayim (the coming out of Egypt). May we see it soon!

Dr. Zev Ballen

By the way, if you'd like to be friends on facebook, don't be shy. You can connect to me right here!

And, there's more! If you want to see the best Shabbos and Purim newsletter around, you can get your copy right here:  Download CSC NL Week 20 Tetzaveh.

 

 

Sincere Repentance Settles Lawsuits

 

 

photo credit: graham19492000

A study conducted by law professor Jennifer Robbennolt showed that a sincere pre-emptive repentance to an injured person in a a law suit, is more likely to bring a quicker settlement of the dispute than a partial apology or no apology at all. In the study, 73% of the plaintives agreed to avoid a court case when they received a sincere apology for what they went through from the defendant. 

So now imagine that the Judge is actually your father, whose love for you has no end. That's how it is when we sincerely apologize to Hashem, He forgives us competely 100% of the time.

 Psychology Today, Jan/Feb2004, Vol. 37 Issue 1, p19-19.

By the way, if you'd like to be friends on facebook, don't be shy. You can connect to me right here!

The "Right" Room

This story really touched home! I heard it from my wife, Sarah  who is working as a nurse in a local nursing home. There, Sarah became a stick in Hashem's Mighty Hand to beat the Evil Inclination at his own game. For me, the most dramatic sign of Hashem's omnipotence, in this story, is how He totally suspended Sarah's usual laser-like awareness so that she would be in the right place at the right time to save someones life. I tell the story in this  2 and a half minute clip. It's truly miraculous!

 

In this week's newsletter I write back to a young woman whose emuna battery needed some recharging after having a baby-a-year for six years and not having grown up in a religious family. She aptly coined the phrase for her "condition" PTSD which stands for Post-Teshuva Stress Syndrome. You can read her story right here: Download CSC NL Week 17 Yitro.

This Shabbos is when we received the Torah from Moses who got it directly from G-d. May you, your loved ones, and people everywhere come closer to Hashem this Shabbos and feel the wonderful vitality and renewal that only can come from Him.

Have a great Shabbos!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Bye the way, if you'd like to be friends on facebook don't be shy. All you've got to do is request it here!

Explosive Energy

Here's the fasted full-proof way there is to supercharge your spirits with explosive, electrifying, kosher energy! It's my gift to you.

Live happy and live long! With Blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Returning Home

 

 

By Dr. Zev Ballen                                                                             Image credit: John B G

Tracking studies have shown that after migrating from fresh water to the ocean, certain species of Salmon return to the exact spot where they were born to spawn.  Ostensibly this homing behavior depends on olfactory memory (smell).

The Jewish soul is also trying to find it's way home during the month of Elul. Teshuva (repentance) means "return."  We should never mistake repentance for self-persecution; repentance is simply switching our direction and heading back home to our roots.  The process of returning to our spiritual roots  fills us with indescribable excitement and extraordinary meaning.

May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Good Life,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Live Broadcast Today: Why Murder?

By Dr. Zev Ballen

We live in a generation of senseless hatred and violence. With Tisha B'Av coming in just three days, join me for a discussion of the causes and the solution to our current dilemma, according to the holy teachings of my beloved Rebbe and spiritual guide, Rabbi Shalom Arush. 

With Hashem's Loving Kindness, we will be broadcasting live today, Wednesday at 5:00pm Israel time from the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva, 13 Shmuel Hanavi Street, Jerusalem.

 You can see it right here. The broadcast, as well as our lessons posted from now on - 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 on time as follows:

10:AM in NY, 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 9:00 AM in Mexico and Central Daylight, 3:00 PM in the UK, and 5:00 PM Israel time. If you are not able to watch the lesson live, we will, G-d willing be posting a link to it soon. 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.

Wishing You Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

 

 

Live Broadcast Today

How do you make important decisions? Do you ever worry before or after making decisions? Do you feel depleted from the stress and pressure of not knowing what to do? If you answered "yes" to even one of these questions, today's lesson is for you - it's called The Best Advice. You can see it right here.

With Hashem's Loving Mercy, we will be broadcasting live today, Wednesday at 5:00pm Israel time from the Chut Shel Chessed Yeshiva, 13 Shmuel Hanavi Street, Jerusalem. The broadcast, as well as our lessons posted from now on - 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 on time as follows:

10:AM in NY, 7:00 AM in LA and the West Coast, 8:00 AM Denver, 9:00 AM in Mexico and Central Daylight, 3:00 PM in the UK, and 5:00 PM Israel time. If you are not able to watch the lesson live, we will, G-d willing be posting a link to it soon. 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.

Wishing You Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen