Emuna Therapy

Emuna Therapy

image credit:smiling_da_vinci

Tal Rotem interviewed me and asked some pretty sharp questions. I hope you'll like how I answered him in "Emuna Therapy"...It's right here.

The wife wanted the body cremated; the husband's religious brothers quickly made a proper burial; the wife sued and the case went to a jury trial, but Rebbe Nachman intervened from Above. It's right here!

More new articles from Breslev Israel:

I Don't Envy You - By Rabbi Shalom Arush

Election Fever - By Rabbi Lazer Brody

Loyalty Check - By DovBer HaLevi

Reserved Parking - By Chaya Golda Ovadia

A Child's Eyes - By Racheli Reckles

Veneer - By Rivka Levy

Camouflage - By Rabbi Pinchas Winston

Sound Of The Siren - By Ari Davidson

Mighty Matriarch - By Rabbi Dovid Charlop

With Blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

 

A Lesson From Uman

I was alone in a field when I was accosted by six Ukrainian youth who were demanding my money. I saw on their faces the same insane hatred that senselessly murdered so many of my ancestors. They came at me throwing rocks. As I ran, I heard the rocks whizzing past my head...

Don't miss the dramatic conclusion in this week's article on Breslev Israel.

Here are the rest of this week's articles:

Empty Handed by Rabbi Lazer Brody

The Sound of Music by Rabbi Shalom Arush

The Beauty Exchange  by Racheli Reckles

The Holy Rebbe Mattia by Tal Rotem

The Loisville Slugger by Natalie Kovan

Discovering My Children by Rivka Levy

The Tougher Test  by Rabbi David Charlop

With Blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Start The Week Right

Here's my gift to you for an inspired week and to get you moving towards an extraordinary year!

Believe me - I value your time and appreciate your visiting here - so you have my promise that what you will see in this video you won't find anywhere else. It can literally change your life!

I'm obviously hoping that you'll decide to sit back and join me. You and your family deserve the very best!

- Dr. Zev

 

Rosh Hashanah Strengthens Faith

 

 

 

By Dr. Zev Ballen                           Image credit: tryzub724

 

The effect of Rosh Hashanah is to strengthen faith. There are great gatherings of Jewish communities everythere. Especially significant are the gatherings of Jews around the true Tzaddikim. Through these gatherings, all the different facets of faith expressed in all the different souls are joined together in a common whole.

Celebrating With The Tzaddikim

 

 

Uman, Ukraine, 2010                                                Image Credit:  Sasha Utkin

All harsh judgements are sweetened when Jews gather around the Tzaddick on Rosh Hashanah. The sweeting of harsh judgements comes about when thought is purified and sanctified. This can only be achieved through being attached to the Tzaddick. To attain sanctity in thought, we journey to the Tzaddikim (Likutey Mahoran, 211)

Blessings from Uman,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Home Sweet Home

  

By Dr. Zev Ballen                      Image credit: Pixelicus

A person's shalom bayis, peace in the home, is proportionate to his measure of emuna; the higher the emuna, the more peaceful the home.

Blessings from Uman for a sweet new year!

Dr. Zev Ballen

Shavuos in Uman

By Dr. Zev Ballen

Rabbi Shalom Arush is in Uman at the Holy gravesite of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev for the Shavuos Holiday. Uman is not an easy trip for a Jewish person to make. Still, the hardships of the journey cannot be compared to the dangers that existed during the time of the communists reign. In those days,  relatively few people made the pilgrimage compared to the 33,000 Jews who went last Rosh Hashanah. Then, there was a real threat of imprisonment and even murder at the hands of the anti-Semitic fascists.  Almost all of the tzadikkim of that generation discouraged people from making the trip. There were those who were actually murdered in sanctifying  G-d's name as they attempted to reach the holy gravesite. Despite this warning, there were a handful of fearless Jews who with their fake passports and indestructible belief in Hashem scratched and clawed their way to Uman year after year. Two of those who went despite the grave danger were Rabbi Eliezer Berland and his main disciple Rabbi Shalom Arush. It was only due to their flawless emuna and determination that Uman was refurbished and re-opened for all of us today.

I can tell you with complete certainty that my Rabbi, Rabbi Shalom Arush, will be praying for every one of you on Shavuos. I personally witnessed the awesome power that Rav Arush's prayers can accomplish just yesterday. It only took a few seconds, but before leaving for Uman,  I saw the Rav literally bring new life to a complete stranger.  

Here is the Bamidbar/Shavuous edition of the Yeshiva's newsletter. I hope you enjoy it!  Download CSC NL Week 24 Bamidbar (2)

In the merit of Rav Arush and all the tzadikkim, may you and your loved ones taste the sweetness of our Holy Torah, this Shavuous, and savor it until the coming of the Messiah - May he come soon!

Good Shabbos and Yom Tov,

Dr. Zev Ballen

The Power of Belief

The Holy Seforim of our Rebbe

 

Four avreachim (married students) from our yeshiva did not have enough money for tickets to Uman. They decided that they would sell books and CD's, combine their profits, and divide it by four. After they spoke to people about emuna for a while, they still did not have enough for the trip. Suddenly a car pulled over. Someone asked one of them if he had a ticket to Uman and he answered no. The man, in the car, said that he would pay for the ticket. The avreach said that there were four of them. The man ended up paying for all four holy avreachim to go Uman.

When you do a mitzvah and believe that Hashem will make you successful, Hashem will send you the goods; you just need to pray to be a fitting receptacle for it. Courtesy of Rabbi Dror Moshe Coussoto.

Wishing You Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Blessings from Rabbi Shalom Arush

 

You don't have to wait until Rosh HaShanah in Uman to get a Blessing from Rabbi Shalom Arush. He promises that he is already Blessing you - every time that you learn about his teachings - and especially when you share his teachings with others.

With Best Wishes for a Happy Passover,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Rav Arush and Rav Brody Flying to Uman

by Dr. Zev Ballen

Rav Berland, the Rebbe of Rav Shalom Arush is known as a human angel -  his service to Hashem is so intense that he has gone for periods of three days without sleeping and eating. When Rav Berland was young and new to Breslever Chassidus he was a chavrusa (study partner) with the famous Steipler Rav. One year, before Rosh Hashana, Rav Berland informed the Steipler that he would be traveling to the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman in Uman for Rosh Hashana.  Somewhat taken back the Steipler expressed his concern that Rav Berland's trip would disturb their learning schedule.  Rav Berland then asked the Steipler Gaon if he could make him the same guarantee that  Rebbe Nachman made to all of us. The Rebbe promises to save the soul of anyone, from hell, who says a short prayer by his gravesite and gives a penny to charity. To this the the Steipler humbly answered that he could not give such a guarantee.

Just imagine what a spiritual giant Rebbe Nachman was to make such a promise.  The Rebbe promised us that if we will just remember him for one second and say the  tikkun hakalali (general remedy of ten psalms) that he will erase all of our sins and renew us like newborn infants. Our job is to believe in the power of the Rebbe's promise. He said that we could count on him and by attaching ourselves to him there is no need to worry about anything. He will open the paths for everything that we need.

It is a Breslev custom to pray at the holy gravesite of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev before Pesach (Passover) the time of our national redemption from Egypt. Rav Arush will be flying to the Uman on Thursday, G-d willing. This is a very auspicious time to connect yourself to Rav Shalom Arush - the Light of Rebbe Nachman in our generation. By supporting Rav Shalom you give him the ability to advocate for you and your family in the most critically important ways.

The Rebbe also wrote beautiful melodies. Here is a very special rendition of one of the Rebbe's melodies for the Friday night Kabbalas Shabbos prayers of Breslever Chassidim by Rabbi Lazer Brody and the Kisufim Trio. Enjoy!

 

 

Wishing you Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen