Elul Awareness Throughout The Year #41

Anyone remember the highlander movies and tv series?

the famous line is "There can be only One!!"

I think that is a powerful line for every time we smash our Yetser Hara

"There can be only One.......Hashem"

Elul Awareness Throughout The Year # 40

One in a million are awesome odds with G-d because you have the One...G-D

Elul Awareness Throughout The Year # 39

Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you.-Jean-Paul Sartre

So when you take all that life throws at you,in all it's detail, recognizing it is from Hashem and thus giving it over to Hashem ...you are truly Free

Elul Awareness- Throughout The Year # 38

I just thinking.... Avraham Avinu had to have been one of the most open minded people around.

His family was totally immersed in the popular idol worship culture,it was the vocation of his father
Yet he was not locked in , not limited by the assumptions of the herd , not incarcerated by what supposedly had to be
BUT was open to what could be and so he left the herd and was finally heard..the world over and most importantly by G-d
By being open Avraham stretched and expanded himself to be able to not only believe and achieve but to be able to receive and changed the world forever.

Elul Awareness- Throughout The Year # 37

Do you feel like things are falling apart?...Is it hard for you to keep it together?....Is your horizon seemingly empty?

Take hopeful comfort from the example of the head of the house of Moshiach.. David HaMelech
It is said that king David never knew a days peace in his life
Yet he was and is the symbol of Inspiring Emuna

"All Your Mitzvot are Emuna-Tehillim 119:86"

" One thing I asked of Hashem that shall I seek-that I dwell in the House Of Hashem all the days of my life to behold the sweetness of Hashem and to contemplate His Sanctuary."-Tehillim 27:4

Learn to see the good in the your journey, it will be the steed upon which you continue riding ,with your Gratitude filled Emuna clearing the path through the darkness....into the Light that was always there.

Elul Awareness # 36

Here is a question:
I dont know any perfect people so how come people get so involved in the affairs of others , telling them what they should do, judging them etc instead of using the precious time G-d has given us to change and improve the only thing we can ..ourselves ?

Elul Awareness # 35

When you make a Beracha(a blessing) with proper Kavanna (intention,direction) you have paused, no longer an automaton, considering the miracle,acknowledging the Boss,reconnecting to purpose ,expressing gratitude...uplifting the world with the influx of blessing ,leaving an older pre-blessing version of you behind..moving foward..new and rejuvenated until your next Beracha
A Beracha is never just words but can always be a life changing experience.

Elul Awareness # 34

When it finally came to me that I am nothing I gained the clarity to see that I am one with everything..the everything and more that is Hashem...
As long as I recognize that I am a piece of the Master my unique life will always be a Masterpiece

Elul Awareness # 33

Don't wait for rock bottom to hold on to the Rock(,Tzur Yisrael VeGoalo),Hashem

Elul Awareness # 32

Nothing like taking someone to the emergency room ,seeing what goes on to realize that we are nothing, there is only Hashem...a pity that so many of us wait for an emergency room to realize this......EIN OD MILVADO

Elul Awareness # 31

How many of us are (conscious or subconsciously) addicted to doing nothing,to wasting time, to distraction.?

Yom Kippur is the Ultimate day when we should realize that our lives have value, no matter who we are or where we are.
In fact every single thing we do or say has value, nothing is missed, that is how important each and every one of us is.
Maybe between now and next Yom Kippur (G-d Willing) we should endeavor to show in a positive, grateful empowering context how we truly value our lives.

Elul Awareness #30

When you peel away the excuses you find the change you need as when the excuses no longer captivate you , you find yourself doing and decisive continued ,determined resilient action is a precursor to change.
Then maybe the sincerity you professed to on Yom Kippur will manifest itself in your life throughout the year and bring you the blessing and upgrade you seek.

Elul Awareness # 29

Why do we say to people "Forgive me if I have offended you?"
Let's be honest in many cases we KNOW we have offended people so in many cases if we honestly want forgiveness we should maybe ask
"I know or I feel that I have offended you,I truly regret it ,please forgive me."

Elul Awareness # 28

Sometimes the tiny annoying stones that come our way are heralds of bigger rocks to come if we remain on our current path.
Embrace the small stones , understand their meaning heed their warning and do what you must for they are the gifts they may well help you find the sunshine instead being surprised by the storm

Elul Awareness # 27

Why does the first of the 10 commandments start by saying " I am the Lord your G-d..." instead of maybe " I am G-d etc....
I am certain there are many reasons , one which I think of is that G-d keeps it personal so that we know how much we are loved , that we are never ever alone and that G-d wants a real relationship with us,not only selected words at selected times of the day, which are critical as well.

One great way to start your real relationship with G-d, to keep it real by learning to be in constant conversation with G-d , in every situation, every mood etc..G-d can take it....your life will change.

Elul Awareness #26

Yom Kippur among others shows

that up to the last second it is never to late, in others words you are never so hooked up to your past that you cannot let it go ( no matter how much you believe you are) and open your heart to a new future.
G-d knows it , gifts you with the possibility of a new future, Teshuva clears the way...choose to let go so that forward and upward you can go.

Elul Awareness # 25

What it comes down to is-Ein Od Milvado

Elul Awareness #24

We are told that Teshuva, Tefila and Tzedaka tempers the harshness of the decree..but why?

There is much on this life changing topic

One point is that in all three mitzvot our whole being is or should be involved and when we are all in, pour all we have in,then true meaningful change starts and we are no longer the same people and the decree is no longer for that other person as we have someone new on the block

Elul Awareness #23

Everything and Everyone sent your way is to test your Emuna

Elul Awareness #22

We are told that sins that are between a person and his fellow man like gossip, slander, biting criticism, humiliation etc are not atoned for on Yom Kippur until you request forgiveness from those you hurt.

There are many commentaries, many, many lesson to be learnt from this important point

I would like to add a personal hugely ,for me, positive perspective on this
G-d does not need another person to forgive us in order for us to be forgiven...obviously ....
What this shows, to me,is just how valued we are, each and every one of us.
The importance G-d gives our personal feelings , how sensitive G-d is , how loving G-d is, that G-d is in essence holding "Himself" back for us....WOW... what empowering validation

We should do the same for others, be full of understanding forgiveness and take what comes when we ask for forgiveness.

When you learn to forgive you open yourself up for the forgiveness you seek...

Elul Awareness #21

We are told that sins that are between a person and his fellow man like gossip, slander, biting criticism, humiliation etc are not atoned for on Yom Kippur until you request forgiveness from those you hurt.

There are many commentaries, many, many lesson to be learnt from this important point

I would like to add a personal hugely ,for me, positive perspective on this
G-d does not need another person to forgive us in order for us to be forgiven...obviously ....
What this shows, to me,is just how valued we are, each and every one of us.
The importance G-d gives our personal feelings , how sensitive G-d is , how loving G-d is, that G-d is in essence holding "Himself" back for us....WOW... what empowering validation

We should do the same for others, be full of understanding forgiveness and take what comes when we ask for forgiveness.

When you learn to forgive you open yourself up for the forgiveness you seek...

Elul Awareness #20

You are only you because there is only Hashem....the way back and up is now a little clearer

Elul Awareness#19

How high you aim is a testimony to what you think of yourself at any given time, no matter your current circumstances or age.
Elul reminds us that there is no limit to how high we can aim, no matter where we are , no matter our age.
There is no closer than G-D and no higher than the endless Oneness that is G-D who is always beckoning to us.

Elul Awareness #18

Why are there the "Ten Days Of Pentinence( Aseret Yimei Teshuva)" between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur?

Aren't we supposed to be focusing on Teshuva our whole lives taking our lives to new levels,every day and especially during the whole of Elul?
Of course we are!!!!!...so again why the "Ten Days Of Pentinence( Aseret Yimei Teshuva)?
Many of the commentators address this important point.
A personal takeaway for me is..after all our attempts at Teshuva ,the whole year and in Elul,so full of love is G-d for us that when we are about to give up on ourselves, about to say " I just can"t.."
we feel the love as we enter the "Ten Days Of Pentinence( Aseret Yimei Teshuva) .. we are not lost!!!!..G-d believes in us ...we just have to fight..keep at it and do our best and more.
G-d loves us and understands..love yourself enough never to give up on you

Elul Awareness #17

I would like to suggest that when you do the following you will find it easier to obliterate the inclination to speak Lashon Hara.

Learn and allow into your heart:

1.That everyone and everything are Shlichei Hashem( G-d's messengers of growth ) for you.

2.Take nothing, personally

3.Do not be jealously of anyone

4.Don't judge ,anyone leave that to Hashem, look for the positive , strive to understand ,even if you do not agree.

5.Don't live, act, react with hatred, not for others but for you

6.Desire to be grateful , look for it , pursue it, live it

Hard to achieve!!!!..if it were easy you should be worried but yours is a life given to you by G-d, you are capable of things beyond your wildest dreams... all you need to do is believe
Being that G-d created you and believes in you , the only thing that would stop you is you

Let this Elul break through the Klipot( shells) and let the authentic, Divinely forged you burst forth

Elul Awareness #16

During the Six days of Creation We are told each day that G-d saw that something was or it was good etc.
What could it mean that G-d "saw" it was good? Did G-d try"His" luck and hope for the best?
Obviously not.... there are many messages and lessons here.I would humbly like to suggest that maybe one lesson is
That each day of your life, your creation, there is always some good, that you will be able to find, even if for you at that time it is but a spark.
So don't despair of the darkness, the good is there, look, fight, dig and you will find it..G-d has told us that it is there ..we just need to learn to see....A good start is gratitude which clears up much darkness when it is in our hearts and lights up our souls

When you find the spark you can build on it and reveal the greatness that has always been within you ,showing you the choice you have to make your Teshuva( Repentance, Returning, Going always higher) more powerful that ever before.

Elul Awareness #15

When you make an active choice no to take anything personally, you dont give ego a chance to start.
One of way of doing this learning, accepting and inculcating that everything is from Hashem, everything and everyone are ,shlichei Hashem ( messengers of G-d ) sent to you, to test you ,to empower you , to help you learn and grow.

If you learn not to take things personally you will gain the clarity to get personal with yourself ,celebrating your victories no matter how small and being honest enough to acknowledge where you need to improve
and to put the effort in.

Elul Awareness #14

I was just sitting and thinking on the couch, we think we are in control and we have things covered but you know to take just one thing for example,
we think we know about heart attacks, everyone tells us the common signs but so many people have had them without any forewarning, some have had mini heart attacks without even knowing. Many times the supposedly healthy people have been knocked by a heart attack...so who is in control?

Sure ,we have to do our best, invest etc..but again ..who is in control?
I would like to suggest we are never in control ..not even close...
So many things could G-d forbid happen when I am sitting on the couch.. I have no idea what is really going on inside.

It is especially relevant during Elul to start to realize who is in control..and that is Hashem .

When we finally realize that we are not in control, that we are indeed nothing...no...thing..we are with Hashem someone ,we then regain control as ...some of the One that is Hashem

We release the inner pressure ,anxiety ,exaggerated worry of what we are told is or has to be, what we have to think ....knowing that nothing is set in stone ..with Hashem anything and everything is possible

When we think we love at our maximum Hashem's love has barely begun.

When we think we forgive at our maximum Hashem's forgiveness has barely begun.....etc

"Hope to Hashem,strengthen your yourself and your heart will have courage,and hope to Hashem." Tehillim 27:14

Live Your B.E.S.T. life( Bitachon.Emuna, Simcha.Toda)

Elul Awareness #13

Elul Awareness
I would like to suggest that the gift of Teshuva (Repentance, Returning,Going higher)is a powerful boost of validation.
G-d is telling us there is so much more within us , so much more you can achieve, so much more you can do, so much more you can feel, so much more you can give.
In other words raise your standards,unlock your definitions by keeping them fluid,be open .. you simply have no idea how awesome you truly are,packed with potential Divine. Let your honest Teshuva Journey break you out of resignation and on to the yellow brick road to Elul elevation throughout the year.

Trust what G-d "sees" in you, as we are told we have to relate to the world as Bishvili Nivra HaOlam(The World Was Created For Me), not to be arrogant but to be empowered by the fact that no matter who you are and where you are,or how you are..you are relevant ,significant and you matter.

Elul Awareness #12

I was just thinking of those soldiers and others who had so much and whom to live for and sacrificed it all.
Our best salute to them is to take each day that G-d blesses us with, let go of ego and through a lens of gratitude show how much we can give each day without the fleeting getting in our way and complaints leading us astray.

Elul Awareness #11

When you start winning the battle on the inside victory starts showing on the outside
To be victorious you have to be aware of whom your actions nourish,if it is
the yetser hara then no matter the ostensible victories eventual defeat is assured.If you choose to feed the yetser hatov no matter the seeming defeats ,eventual victory is assured.
Here is the thing..even when you are just starting to feed the yetser hatov..that brave decision and resultant change in focus already makes you a victor and not a victim

Elul Awareness # 10

During this time of focused introspection and pending judgement we start to realize even more the value of the time that G-d gifts us with and maybe we should consider smashing the myth of time management

There is no such thing as time management as Bob Proctor says.
If G-d has granted us another day we all have the same 24 hours, what we need to manage , no...to master is what we put into that time

Elul Awareness #9

You know there are many of us who might think "..gosh ..I have done so much bad this year... I have fallen so many times.. like I have done every year.It is just so hypocritical for me to to waste my time trying to improve... etc etc."

Well a lot can be said here but consider:
The Torah never fails to mention the faults of our righteous icons like
Avraham Avinu
Moshe Rabeinu
David HaMelech etc etc and why?
As it says in Kohelet:"There is no righteous person in the land that does good and does not sin"

Maybe one lesson is that a righteous person is not someone who does not fall, who does not make mistakes.
G-d created you , G-d is well acquainted with your inner wars, let G-d decide how many times you are going to fall, to make mistakes etc.You give it your best to stand and if you fall continue to get up for each time you get up you learn more about yourself and more about how to stand

Elul Awareness #8

G-d's gift of Teshuva(Repentance, Returning,Going higher) means that you are never lost and that G-d never gives up on you.
There is no such a thing as" that's me.. I just can't...".." there is no hope for me.."...etc etc.
The truth is we deceive ourselves when we limit ourselves because You never really know the maximum you, only G-d does, and each new day you are gifted with means you still have higher to go, more to give, more to be.
Teshuva means that nothing has to be and all that can be is open to you

So never give up on you...you are never too far gone to go far and you are never beyond G-d's "reach"

Elul Awareness #7

What is holding back your Teshuva(Repentance, Returning,Going higher) ?
I would like to suggest that among others it is your paradigms. Dont look at other people , don't compare, we are talking about your paradigms, which is why we are taught in Pirkei Avot.." who is wise, he that learns from everyone".
In other words not he /she that compares themselves but learns from, everyone teaches in some way what not to do and what we should consider doing in tune with our authenticity.
Identify your paradigms , be brutally honest,.. change your paradigms and just maybe this Elul will catapult you higher than ever before , living a spectacular , unlimited life, with enduring Simcha and lasting Teshuva in Hashem's loving embrace

Elul Awareness #6

Think Teshuva(Repentance, Returning,Going higher) and you will find Teshuva in your heart , then in your actions and then you will be living Teshuva never stopping always taking it higher

Elul Awareness #5

When Hashem truly has your heart, your ego has no place to start.

Elul Awareness # 4

A time to refocus
Where have I let my body lead leaving my soul to plead?
I will bli neder focus on learning how to give my soul the lead so I can get in tune with what I really need.
Being a soulboss continuously strengthens your connection to THE BOSS

Elul Awareness #3

Open yourself up to the forgiveness you want,mida knegged mida(measure for measure).Your response gives life a chance to respond to you in kind.
When you forgive you are not excusing you are letting Hashem be the Judge,and you are learning to move on,forward and higher.

Elul Awareness # 2

Cheshbon Nefesh( Self examination, introspection, evaluation etc) is required of us throughout the year on a daily basis to help us ensure that our Yom Kippur sincerity means something and translates into action

Elul Awareness # 1

Upgrade your game so that you G-d willing stay in the game.