Emuna Therapy

The Song of Life

Here's a moving and true story about the life-saving power of prayer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

Do you need something to say at the Shabbos table? You'll find some great ideas in our weekly parsha newsletter::  Download CSC NL Week 8 Vayishlach (2)

Have a great Shabbos,

Dr. Zev Ballen

The Best Of Both

                                          Rabbi Shalom Arush

I received the following question:

Dr. Ballen,

It seems that people who have been religious from birth have certain ingredients that they can pass down to their children that bale teshuva (people who choose to be religious) don't have. Do you agree that as bale teshuva we are missing something, and if so, is it possible to still acquire it?

I'm looking forward to your answer.

Julie

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Julie,

A bal teshuva is missing nothing. He was created to be exactly what Hashem wanted him to be. Hashem created two groups: The frum from birth (FFB's) and the bale teshuva (BT's).  There is no reason for us to envy the FFB's, on the contrary - we need each other!

BT's can learn from FFB's about how to be Jewish while FFB's learn from BT's an even deeper lesson - why to be Jewish in the first place!...

You can see the remainder of my answer to Julie in this weeks Shabbos Newsletter courtesy of Breslev Israel and the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva of Rabbi Shalom Arush:  Download CSC NL Week 33 Devarim - Shabbat Chazon.

Have a wonderful Family Shabbos,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

My Rebbe's Message

This is the story of my beloved Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Arush, and the awesome wonders that G-d is enabling him to accomplish in the world. The ‘Chut Shel Chessed’ (a ‘Thread of Kindness’) Torah Institutions are spreading my Rebbe's message of peace, love and closeness to G-D to all of mankind.

Sit back and enjoy this one - it's really special. 

Don't forget to print out your copy of our weekly English Newsletter for the Shabbos table. Enjoy!  Download CSC NL Week 32 Matot-Masei (1). 

Chosesh Tov and Good Shabbos, 

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Spirituality Is Not Physics

 

                            Photo Shared From: Breslev.co.il

In the following, The Nikolsburg Rebba gives us a crystal clear example of how the limitations of science cannot contain spirituality: 

"In this week's sidra we read about the karbanos - sacrifices. The word karbanos is from the root word that means "close." The sacrifices were a means of getting close to Hashem.

In physics, there is always the same distance between two items. For example, if there is cup and a fork on the table, there will always be the same distance from the cup to the fork as from the fork to the cup. This is a simple fact that everyone can understand.

However, when it comes to spiritual matters, it is not like that. It says in Tehillim: "Hashem is close to all who call to Him." Hashem is always close to every single Jew, but this doesn't mean that we are equally close to Him. If we commit transgressions, then we become distanced from Hashem, while at the same time Hashem remains just as close to us as He was before.

The same is true about Hashem's goodness to us. It says in the same chapter of Tehillim: "Hashem is good to everyone." Hashem bestows blessings on us all the time, but if we are unworthy, these blessings cannot reach us, although Hashem keeps on sending them.

By reading the chapter of karbanos, we become closer to Hashem. This enables us to benefit from the many blessings that Hashem keeps on sending to us. May Hashem help that we should merit the fulfillment of the verse: "And all of these blessings will come to you, and it will reach you." 

Here is your Parsha/Newsletter for this week:  Download CSC NL Week 31 Pinchas. Have a beautiful family Shabbos!

Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

 

 

The Power of Prayer

by Dr. Zev Ballen

What can a person accomplish with continuous heartfelt prayer? Check this out:

Hi Dr. Ballen,

I just read your response to Muriel in this week's (parashat Balak) and want to thank you for such an excellent and clear response. Every sentence was an absolute pearl! In a short space you delineated Rebbe Nachman's emuna approach to illness, treatment, and the medical profession.

About 20 years ago I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. With extensive prayer by members of the kehillah and with complete trust that HaShem would take care of me through surgery and chemo, I underwent surgery for a total thyroidectomy and left radical neck.

When I woke from the anesthesia, I was shocked to hear from my rav that no cancer was found! Needless to say, the surgeon was greatly embarrassed.

Last year I was diagnosed with asthma. This disease is not going away like the cancer did, bit I look upon this experience as an opportunity to correct all of those years when I put such confidence (emuna?) and trust in physicians, medical research, and pharmacology. Now, every time I put a pill or inhaler into my mouth, I say the posuk that you mentioned in your response to Muriel. In addition, I spoke with Rav Brody to get direction about what I need to correct (the spiritual source of the problem). Also, before every visit with the pulmonologist, I have a Pidyon HaNefesh by Rav Arush.

This asthma is truly a gift and I thank HaShem for it daily in hitbodedut!

Shabbat shalom,
Yehudit

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Here is your copy of this week's parsha newsletter: Download CSC NL Week 30 Balak.  Have a great family Shabbos! 

With Blessings Always,

Dr. Zev Ballen

 

Honoring Your Children

Children will only accept guidance from parents who love them when they are 'failing'; who advocate for them when they are not 'succeeding'; who protect them from dishonor and self-doubt; and who accept upon themselves the full responsibility of being a parent. 

Wishing You a Wonderful Family Shabbos,

Dr. Zev Ballen

Here is this week's Parsha Newsletter:  Download CSC NL Week 29 Chukat

 

The 'Science' of Parenting

Science is based on observing what might be a cause and effect relationship; then testing the reliability and validity of the supposed cause and effect relationship; and finally drawing conclusions from what was tested to determine 'the truth.'  

Behavioral science has led us to believe that when a child misbehaves if we respond to that behavior with love that it will cause the misbehavior to be reinforced and thereby repeated.

According to this way of thinking, if a child comes home with a 'bad' report card, or a mother recieves a threatening phone call from her daughter's teacher, or a child loses control of himself and hits his brother -  hugging the child at such a time will reinforce the undesirable behavior. 

A parent who believes this has been brainwashed by science.

Since behavioral scientists derive their conclusions based only on what they can observe, their advice to parents is useless. The scientists don't bother themselves with thinking about the child's soul. Since they cannot observe a child's soul, they dismiss it completely -  for research purposes a child's soul and Hashem's Wisdom are irrelevant. Since the scientists don't believe in anything except that which their fallible human eyes can percieve, their 'conclusions' are the lowest and most primitive way of knowing anything about children.

A person with emuna sets his gaze much higher than the scientists can see with their limited powers of observation. A person of Faith asks himself, "how could it be that Hashem is limited to 'A' causes 'B' 62% of the time."  The person of Faith  knows that there is nothing sacred about correlational research. He knows that anything is possible in Hashem's world; and in fact there is no correlation between A and B at all unless Hashem wants there to be. There is no set connection between one moment and the next or even between one day and another. Hashem is creating the world new every moment.

The foundation of emuna is to believe that we can always start again anew. That the One and only Cause of all things is Hashem.  A foundation principle of our belief is that 'Only He did, does and will do all things." 

The next time that your child has a 'failure'  help him start again by showering him with hugs and kisses.  When your child 'falls' is the very best time to step in and protect his honor and feelings of self-worth. Hashem will take care of the rest. 

Here is this weeks Newsletter / Parsha Sheet: Download CSC NL Week 28 Korach. I hope you enjoy it. Have a wonderful family Shabbos!

With Blessings,

Dr. Zev Ballen

The Ultimate Difference

By Dr. Zev Ballen

In this week's Parsha, we learn about the twelve leaders of Israel who decided to spy on the land of Israel despite Hashem's guaranteed promise to give them the Holy Land of 'milk and honey.'

The commentators ask how it could be that these great tzadikim lacked emuna in Hashem's promise that the Jewish people would be victorious in battle against the nations that were living there? How could it be that men of such high caliber still needed to "see the land - what is it? and the people that dwell in it - [are they] strong or weak? few or numerous?" What did the spies have to worry about?  

Rashi tells us that Moses had already spoke with Hashem, and Hashem revealed to Moses His intention to bring the people safely into the Land and give it to them forever. Moreover, what possessed these tzadikim to fall so low as to malign the Holy Land with their evil report of a land that "devourers its inhabitants"; as well as to the sin of seeking to replace Moses with a new 'leader' (Rashi says: an idol) to return them to Egypt?

Since the Torah testifies that the ten spies were righteous people, the Nikcolsburger Rebbe finds some justification for their actions. He quotes the tzaddik Rebbe Moshe Tzvi of Savran who points to the verse "The Land is very, very good..." The Rebbe explains: Indeed it is a great merit to live in the Holy Land  where Hashem's presence fills every nook and cranny. However, one must remember the warning that follows on the heel of this verse: "...But against Hashem you shall not rebel!" Clearly one should never rebel against Hashem's commandments where ever one lives, but if a person sins in Israel, his sin is far more severe.

The Nikcolsburger Rebbe surmises that the spies were afraid that the Jewish people would be held up to a higher level of accountability while living in Israel, and the spies felt that it would be better for them not to live there as of yet. 

Although their intentions might have been noble, says the Nickolsburger, Yehoshua pointed out: "if Hashem will desire in us...and give us this Land." We are not taking this Land by ourselves. Hashem is giving it to us? And since Hashem is giving it to us, He will also give us the strength and ability to fulfill His Will, in Israel, despite the higher level of accountability to which we will be held. Why should we doubt ourselves and worry about this challenge if we have Hashem's guarantee?

It was not by accident that the only two 'spies' that did not complain against the land but rather heralded it's praises were Calev and Yehoshua who were close students of the tzaddik - Moses. This is one of many sources cited by Breslever Chassidim to show how much greater is the Divine protection of those who bond themselves to a tzaddik as compared to those who do not.

Even men on the awesome level of the ten righteous spies did not have enough merit of their own to save them from a sin that caused the destruction of both Holy Temples, and the subsequent torture and death of millions of Jews throughout this prolonged and arduous exile.

It would also be a mistake to think that Moses only prayed for his loyal disciples Calev and Yehoshua and not the other spies. Mose's prayed for them all. However even a tzaddik of Mose's caliber was only enabled by Hashem to save those who were fully committed to follow in Mose's teachings.

This is why Breslever Chassidim are so strict about praying with Rebbe Nachman on Rosh Hashanah even at great sacrifice to themselves and their families.

It is very beautiful and holy to pray with any congregation on Rosh Hashanah - but dovening with a true tzaddik is on a much higher level - as we see in this week's Parsha - it makes the ultimate difference.

You can download this week's Yeshiva Chut Shel Chesed's Parsha Newsletter right here: Download CSC NL Week 27 Sh'lach (1) 

Good Shabbos!

Dr. Zev Ballen