Lazer Beams

Hashem Loves Me

If you feel down for some reason, watch the following 3-minute clip. It will pick you up. My gift to you today is a 3-word saying that you must tell yourself as soon as you sense the slightest bit of sadness or depression: Hashem Loves Me. It's true, and it kills the evil inclination. Enjoy.

You can obtain the Hashem Loves Me CD and many more Rav Arush/Brody titles at the Breslev Israel Online Store. For Chanukah, send the people you love Emuna books and CDs.

The River's Song

Shomer Yisrael: Guardian of Israel

Imagine that the mightiest ocean or the most prodigious tsunami is no where comparable to a single tear in Hashem's proverbial eye. We can all sleep soundly at nights knowing that Hashem is "Shomer Yisrael," the Guardian of Israel.

Here is a beautifully inspiring film clip with Rav Shlomo Carlebach of blessed memory singing "Shomer Yisrael."  Enjoy!

Real Teshuva

Here's the video replay of our weekly Emuna talk at the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem. This week's 50-minute lesson is an important preparation for Yom Kippur, for it explains what Real Teshuva is.

Here's something special for my beloved Mama, Chasia Brody Ludwick in Silver Spring, Maryland, may Hashem bless her and keep her. This is the melody of "Avinu Malkenu," a prayer we say twice daily during the ten days of repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Ohad Moscowitz sings it beautifully, just like my father and zaidie of blessed memory used to. This is one of my sweetest childhood memories, which I'm happy to share with you:

A bright Beam Blessing for your signed and sealed inscription in the Book of Emuna and Long Life for many years of happiness, fulfillment, and all your heart's wishes for the best. Don't ever forget how much Hashem loves you, for He has no other son or daughter that can take your place. Shabbat Shalom and Gmar Chatima Tova!

The Strongest Power on Earth

The Gemara in tractate Bava Batra 10a inspired the following one-minute clip, which shows you how emuna is the strongest power on earth:

When the words don't come

You've finally circumvented the Yetzer (evil inclination), and now you're all set for a beautiful hour of Hisbodedus (personal prayer - speaking to Hashem in your own words - alone - with no one else around). You take a walk in the park, out in the field, or down by the river, you open your mouth - wanting to pour your heart out to Hashem - and nothing comes out! How frustrating! What a letdown.

Don't fret; here's what to do when the words don't come - sing a niggun! A niggun (melody) uplifts the soul, puts wings on your heart, and breaks the grip of the vise that the Yetzer has clamped on your mouth (the last thing he wants you to do is to talk to Hashem!). After singing a niggun for a few warm-up minutes, the words of personal prayer and love for Hashem will flow forth like a fountain.

Thanks to my compassionate Father in Heaven and my beloved friend Yosef Karduner, here is a niggun that has unclogged my heart more than once, "Taiti", verse 176 from Psalm 119:

Hashem's Commando

My very dear friend, singer and composer David Dome, in the middle of hitbodedut, received a sudden inspiration that resulted in this song:

Hashem's Commando

He left his old life behind

Now he tidies the mess in our minds,

To bring us from the dark into the light.

Confronting the things that are wrong,

In the places where lies don't belong,

And changing our grey into black and white.

Hashem's Commando faces the fight,

Changing the darkness to the brightest light.

Hashem's Commando shows us what to do

To help us become Commandos too.

The things that are not in his control ,

He hands over to the Master of his soul,

And whatever he gets is for the very best.

His yetzer wants to give him a hit,

Well , he ain't having none of it,

Keeps his composure and says thanks for the test.

Hashem's Commando takes on the fight,

Changing the darkness to the brightest light.

Hashem's Commando sees only the good,

In the people who feel that they never could.

We must try with the best of our ability,

To find our way to The Trail of Tranquility

Emuna's Garden is such a beautiful sight .

When we get there we're gonna see,

Thousands of Commandos living joyfully,

In Love and Peace having won the fight.

Hashem's Commando he gets the last punch,

Hits the yetzer so hard, sends him right out to lunch.

Hashem's Commando will help us pass the test,

And see that it's all for the very best.

Thank you so very much, David; this lovely melody put more than one tear in my eye.

The River's Song

Osyio (Greetings - LB) Rabbi Wolf Brother,

I was so happy to hear that our Tsa la Gi (Cherokee - LB) brothers in Tennessee and Texas also hold the opinion that we have Hebrew roots. So much is the same - I follow your teachings about personal prayer in solitude with the Holy One out in nature and I'm moved to tears about the Jewish Perek Shira song of creation. Our meditation, the fringes on our clothes, our language, and our clinging to the One God (in the old way, not the way the white missionaries did to our people) are all signs of our mutual roots. Now that we have DNA testing, there is no doubt.

As a small token of appreciation for the love and respect you have honored our people with, I'm enclosing a film clip of Wayra, a Bolivian Indian who plays the native American flute like we do. To the best of my knowledge, King David also had such a similar flute. May you enjoy it, and may the Holy One bless your journeys in life with smooth and pleasant paths.

Looking forward to the day when the lost tribes will be returned and reunited with mother Israel, your friend and brother, Silver Cloud from Oklahoma

Flight 613

You can learn about emuna from all the stimuli in your environment and in your daily routine. "Flight 613", a little 2-minute inspirational shot of emuna, is the product of my thoughts on a recent plane trip. I hope you enjoy it.

Everywhere I Walk, I Walk in the Land of Israel

Concluding our Eretz Yisroel series this week, here is a clip of Guy Tzvi Mintz and I singing Rebbe Nachman's famous quotation, "Wherever I walk, I am walking in the Land of Israel." A basic tenet of Breslever Chassidic thought is to strive to move to the Land of Israel. Even if one can't, one should yearn so much for the Holy Land, that one's thoughts and feelings are actually here. The more you love someone, the more you think about them.