The Alter Rebbe taught that we need to “live with the times,” which means live with the Torah reading each week.
In other words, every week we receive Koach for the week from the Parsha that we are reading that week.
The weekly Torah readings are connected to the unique energetic properties of that week. Every Torah portion, and thus every week, radiates with a particular quality, a distinct Koach that, when understood and received, can bring tremendous guidance and assistance to every facet of our lives.
“Awakenings: Drawing Life from the Weekly Torah Reading,” is the newest and 53rd published Sefer by Rabbi DovBer Pinson.
This new book by the world Renowned Author, Teacher, Mashpia and Shliach, delves into the weekly Torah reading and uncovers its overarching theme allowing us to apply the power available on that week into our practical lives.
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Excerpt from this weeks Parsha
Beshalach: Stepping Into Your Dreams
This week’s Torah reading opens with the fourth and final part of the Exodus narrative, in which Klal Yisrael are finally, actually, leaving Egypt and their enslavement: “It came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go…” (13:17).
Klal Yisrael leaves Egypt in great haste, and then unexpectedly and anticlimactically, encounters before them the raging waters of the sea. Chased by their Egyptian oppressors, who were approaching behind them, and having no means of escape, a spirit of hopelessness enters them and they cry out to Moshe, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt!” (14:11)
Hashem responds and says to Moshe, “Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them travel forward” (14:15).
Hearing this striking message, they realize that even the time for crying has passed. Of course, through the power of crying out, Hashem had heard their prayers and the process of redemption had begun: “and they groaned…and Hashem heard their groan…” (Shemos, 2:23–24). However, as they stand there, already a liberated people, Hashem tells them that even their work of praying is complete (they have reached the inner level of Atik, as the Zohar (2, 48a) says, which is beyond all Avodah / work). Now, they are instructed to take an actual physical step into their freedom.
When they do take that first step forward into the raging sea, it miraculously parts. The pangs of birth, beginning with the Ten Plagues, are over, and Klal Yisrael can finally be pushed through this watery birth canal. They can finally be birthed as a people, and they can prepare to receive the Torah and begin their journey toward the Promised Land.
“In every generation, a person must regard himself as if he himself had gone out of Egypt” (Pesachim, 116b). On one level, this means that when recalling the Exodus from Egypt thousands of years ago, we should envision our own lives as if HaKadosh Baruch Hu / the Holy One, has taken us, in our generation, out of Egypt. Remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim focuses our attention on all the multitude of redemptions of Klal Yisrael from exiles and Gezeiros Ra’os / negative decrees throughout history.
On a more inward level, Mitzrayim / Egypt represents any and all Meitzarim / constrictions and limitations that suppress or silence our spirit. Here, “every generation” means not only every generation but every day (Tanya, 47); on each day, it should be as if you had personally left Egypt on that very day.*
* Rashi, Shemos, 13:4, as explained by the Chasam Sofer, Derashos l’ Pesach, p. 521: We are taken out of our inner Egypt each and every moment. The Alter Rebbe teaches (in Tanya, above) in the name of Chazal (although Chazal only mention ‘in every generation’), that each day, a person must regard himself as if he had come out of Mitzrayim. הנה בכל נפש ישראל צ”ל בכל יום בחי’ יצ”מ וקי”ס כמ”ש למען תזכר את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים וגו’. וכמארז”ל בכל יום יהיה בעיניך כאלו היום יצאת מאמ”צ: Torah Ohr, Beshalach, 64a. See also Likutei Torah, Emor. The Rebbe adds, although not quoting Chazal, that this means every moment of every day: Sefer haSichos, 5751, Shemos.
Even when faced with an obstacle that seems insurmountable, take that step towards your destination. The ‘waters’ will part; the doors will open, and the path towards your freedom will be paved for you.
We need to dream, aspire, imagine, and yearn to reach higher and deeper levels of spirituality and also material success. Yet, at some point, we must begin to start living as if our spiritual and physical goals have been reached. We should begin living as if the miracle we are praying for has already occurred.
Step into the bigger possibility. Act and speak as if you have already arrived. And then make it real by stepping into it.
These, then, are the four stages to becoming free:
First, one needs to turn away from their negative story, whatever it may be. Do not view the current situation of constriction or confinement as fixed or permanent.
Second, one needs to believe in the possibility of change, accept the possibility of a miracle, and generate faith in their ability to become part of that miracle.
Third, one should visualize their new reality and imagine how it will feel to be in that new state.
Fourth, one must take initiative, make that first move, and plunge into positive action. Take a step forward into the sea.
Stepping Into Your Dreams
The past few weeks’ Torah readings are about taking initial steps toward our own personal liberation. This process began with the non-acceptance of the situation that enslaves us, and it continued with believing in the possibility of an alternate reality, and then visualizing that reality.
This week’s Torah reading imbues us with the power to take action and make our liberation happen. We receive the Ko’ach / spiritual power this week to take the first step forward into our dream. Rather than looking for ways around the situation, we can take a step forward and go right through it.
The forward momentum that we have cultivated in the previous weeks gives us courage to transcend seemingly insurmountable issues, and creates the vessels for our dream to actualize. Now, we can live our dream as if it is already a reality. Rather than thinking, “One day I will reach a higher spiritual level,” think, speak, and act ‘as if’ you are now on that level. Rather than thinking, “One day I will be…” think: “I am already…” Then, we need to take the courageous steps which will trigger our redemption or growth.
Sometimes we become our own worst enemy, sabotaging ourselves and riddling our hearts with doubts and fears, preventing the birth of something new.
Because of one’s inner anxieties, expectations, insecurities, or a fear of being let down — whatever the reason may be — one might hold back and not allow the birthing of our dream. This week’s Torah reading gives us the strength to act as if our dream is already fulfilled. If we actually start living that way, perhaps even celebrating as if it has already happened, we can make the Kli / vessel for Hashem’s blessing to manifest.
