Living Waters/Living Words

This is first time the number 40 comes up in the Torah portion but as we will see beloved HaShem has a lot to teach us regarding the number 40. Every time we see it used we see a transformation taking place. Moses was several times on the mountain 40 days, the Jews were led by G*D in the desert 40 years, the spies traveled the length of the land for 40 days, both Solomon and David ruled for 40 years,as did the great judge Devorah. We just went through a transformation ourselves in the 40 days from the first of Elul till Yom Kipper.

In this weeks parsha we see it raining 40 days and 40 nights.There is a minimum of 40 seahs of water in a kosher mikvah. Immersing oneself in the mikvah transforms us from a state of impurity to a state of purity. And so it was with the world in the time of Noah. The world had fallen into a state of impurity. Midrash says it was the impurity of mans speech that lowered him to a level that grieved HaShem's heart to the point that He felt the need for its purification. This is a little frightening to me, working on a college campus places me in the middle of  the mix, students, professors, co-workers, corporate management, from top to bottom it is all the same, the language is enough to make you want to plug your ears. Sadly even in our shuls it is sometimes not much better.

40 is also the value of the letter mem, which means water. The Torah is often referred to as water. In the future the flood will be a positive concept, the earth will be flooded with the knowledge of G*D. The Torah will fill the earth just as the water covers the seabed, with the love of G*D flowing forth like water.

It remains to be seen who will rebuild the third Temple, some say Mashiach, some say man. It is interesting to note that the height of the entrance to the Sanctuary of the Temple measures 40 cubits. It will be a time of transformation for all of G*D's creation. May it happen speedily,and soon in our days.

HaShem always gives us a cure. Another meaning for the word ark is word, just as the ark had the power to save Noah, HaShem's Words have the power to save us. One of my favorite verses in The Holy Scriptures is taken from Isaiah, yes you guessed it, chapter 40.
"Lift up your eyes and see who created you, no one is missing, He gives the tired strength, those who put their hope in the L*rd will raise up wings as eagles, run and not weary, walk and not tire." Many times the use of wings in scripture means spiritual truths, may HaShem open our eyes to His Spiritual Truth beloved.

Read the teaching below to learn how to build your own ark
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Good Shabbos~Elisheva

Welcome the Month of Cheshwan,
~from the teachings of Melinda Ribner
Kabblah of the Heart

        

Chodesh Tov! Today is the beginning of the new month of Cheshwan.  Each month offers new opportunities for healing and transformation.  In the month of Tishrei, the previous month, we lived in a spiritual bubble of holidays. We were either preparing for a holiday or celebrating one.  Tishrei is a time of receiving new visions and insights for new beginnings for the coming year. 

   

 Now in this upcoming month of Cheshwan, with no  holidays currently,  we begin to do the inner work to make our dreams and visions a reality. We actually undertake something new!! We may make small changes that we can more easily incorporate into our lives  and /or we may take huge leaps of faith and make some radical changes in our lives  but  we consciously do not do what we always did. 

 We all know that it often not easy to really change. As much as we may want change, there are forces within us that are frightened and resistant.  Encountering our resistance is all part of the  process of growth our souls desire.  

 The Torah portions for this month provide helpful guidance on how to change within ourselves so as to realize our new visions and potential. We welcome the new month of Cheshwan with the reading of the Torah portion of Noah. As you recall, Noah was instructed to build an ark to protect himself,  his family and representatives of the animal species against the floods aimed to destroy the people and animals who had engaged in corrupt behavior that was not in accordance with divine intention for creation.  Similarly, in this month, and particularly this week,  we will also need to build an ark within ourselves to afford us safety as we are further cleansed of the parts within ourselves that are not in alignment with our true nature and the blessings of newness that our souls desire.  The ark we build ourselves provides a sanctuary for nurturing and maintaining the purity of the divine intention of our souls in the midst of the floods and challenges of this month, this year and throughout our life. 

The Hebrew word for ark is teva, which means " word". The arks we build in our lives are the positive words of love, prayer and blessing that we utter. Positive words provide a sanctuary for us and we need to fortify ourselves with them during this month. We each need to make a conscious effort this month to speak positively, to express words of love and blessing more than we might do otherwise.
 

During this month of Cheshwan, it is natural to find ourselves letting go, more than most other months ,of what no longer serves the new spiritual order of blessing that we opened to in the month of Tishrei. Loss is common this month. Just as the trees shed their leaves in Cheshwan, we also shed parts of ourselves as we open to and reveal the new within us. It is a new year, a new order.  Let go of the desire for life to be the same as it was before.  Holding on to such sentimentality will hold you back this year. What worked for us last year may not be even good for us this year. We need to let go gracefully this month as we deepen our opening and alignment to the new order.

As we move forward  this month, we may become aware of the fears that have limited us in the past. Remember that what we fear often points us in the direction of where we need to go to experience more expansiveness and freedom.  Our minds can give us many reasons to not do what we are afraid of doing. What enables us to go through our fear is faith.  Faith is not a passive belief in a God external to us, but faith is the experience of this Being, this holy Presence within us. When we go through our fears, we will naturally feel more energy and freedom.

This month go forward in accordance with your dreams. Do not retreat, Do not settle. Be happy to let go of what keeps you back and joyful to open to the new. With God's help, we can defeat negative beliefs, fears and limiting concepts, live our dreams, and be happy to be who we really are~Mindi